Slave
by Kezzstar
Summary: Humiliate me. Beat me to a pulp. Destroy my spirit or break my heart. Take my soul if you must, but for the love of the air I breathe, I am telling you: Don't. Touch. HER! A WadeStar story, and the prequel to "We Are One". Wade Barrett/OC
1. Survive

Thankfully, the doctor that the young man saw didn't ask questions. He was the kind of doctor who worked underground on the side, patching up fighters such as the young man so that his "real" job had no idea of his extra-curricular activities.

"I don't know Wade." The doctor sighed, looking through the doorway to his office, where the young girl sat, slumped. "I don't give her more than a few hours, if that. She's clearly been abused, and that last fight probably finished her, not to mention the flight here from Budapest."

Wade shrugged. No skin off his nose. He could win fights fine by himself, he'd just wondered if he could use the girl and her eyes to make his life easier.

"All you can do is take her home, make her last few hours as comfortable as possible." The doctor continued.

 _Like hell I'm wasting my time._ Wade rolled his eyes. The doctor frowned at him.

"I mean it Wade, take her home and make her comfortable. Do something nice for someone else for once." He scolded the young man. "And by "make her comfortable" I don't mean throwing her in a dumpster on the way out."

"Well there goes that plan." Wade scowled, having no intention of taking the girl home.

"Your word, Barrett." The doctor pushed, knowing that once Wade Barrett gave his word, he kept it.

"FINE." Wade snapped. "I'll take her home and give her a bath and make a princess of her, shall I?"

"Thank you Wade. It's nice to see you do have a heart somewhere in there." The doctor didn't really like Wade (no one did), the young man was as evil as they came. The only thing that Wade was interested in was cold, hard cash and being as cruel as possible. He loved kicking snow at freezing homeless children, dumping poor people in dumpsters, stealing cars and even the odd murder – for a price, of course.

"Oh bollocks Doctor Yankem." Wade stalked back into the office, where the girl was slumped against the end of the couch. "C'mon kid, you're coming home with me." He lifted the tiny body up, ignoring her recoiling from him and shaking like a leaf. "Stop being such a coward, I'm not going to hurt you!"

The doctor, Dr. Issac Yankem, shook his head as Wade shoved the child roughly into the front seat of his car. Wade Barrett was evil – but he did pay handsomely.

 _What the bloody hell am I supposed to do now?!_ Wade was completely and utterly baffled. Bathing the girl had been a nightmare in itself – she was terrified of being touched, but couldn't stand on her own two feet, and that was before the water was turned on and she completely freaked out. _Water boarded more than likely._ Wade frowned. Now the girl was huddled in the corner of the bed that he had set up in his bedroom next to his own bed.

"I'm not going to bloody hurt you, now lie down properly and go to sleep!" Wade wanted to tear his hair out. For a kid who was hours from death, she still had a lot of fight left in her. He begrudgingly respected that.

The kid began coughing, a hollow, hacking cough that sounded awful. Wade groaned.

"Look, if you lie down properly you'll be able to get rid of that cough better." He tried to reason with the child. She eyed him warily. "Look, I'll go and get you something to eat, try to relax, will you?" _Hopefully you'll be dead by the time I get back._ He thought bitterly.

The girl watched as the strange man walked out of the room. It had been an interesting twenty-four hours for her, as she'd gone from being treated like a disposable sex toy to being free to being stuck with this…man. He couldn't be much older than her, five to six years at the most. She didn't trust him one bit, even if he had put himself between her and certain death (his shirt still had blood on it from the stab wound).

She was scared, weak, lonely, and she knew she didn't have much time left.

 _Maybe it's best. It's not like I'm worth anything._

Wade returned to the room with a bowl of warm porridge. "Eat up." He put the bowl in front of her. Nothing. "Go on, it's good, I promise."

She slowly reached towards the spoon, and ate a few mouthfuls. The whole time she watched Wade, waiting for him to finish her off. The porridge was bland, but it was warm and filling.

"There, that's better isn't it?" Wade smiled as she ate the last of her meal. It was probably the last meal she'd ever have.

She finally got under the covers of the bed, resting her head on the pillow. The coughing started again.

"Sucks to be you, huh?" Wade sighed. He left the room again, and returned with a jar. The jar had an amber-coloured substance in it that the girl had never seen before.

"Have some honey, that will help with your throat." Wade opened the jar, and spooned some of the substance into the girls mouth.

It was like flicking on a light switch. The honey was so sweet and delicious, like nothing the girl had ever had in her life. She eagerly sucked the spoon clean, making Wade laugh.

"You like that, huh?" He gave her another spoonful. Again, she eagerly cleaned it. Wade couldn't help laughing, the whole scene was ridiculous. He gave her another spoonful.

Suddenly, two small hands wrapped around his big one, holding the spoon steady in her mouth as she savoured the taste of this wonderful substance. Wade's expression softened, along with the lump of coal he called a heart. He pulled the spoon away and scooped up some more honey, and again the two little hands held his.

This continued until the entire jar was depleted. The girl looked up at him, before resting her head on the pillow and closing her eyes.

'G'night." Wade said softly. Her breathing was soft and weak, and he was certain she would be dead by morning.

He was disappointed. It looked like the kid was from the Australian Misneach Clan, one of the Great Five Clans. Wade was from the Barrett Clan, the only one of the Great Five Clans to not have a bloodline power, and he had been hoping that the kid had had some decent eye powers. Something like Truth Eyes or Healing Eyes. That would have made making money so much easier. Then he could train her up to fight for him, never having to lift a finger again.

Oh well.

He watched her uneven breathing, shallow breaths that couldn't be getting in the air she needed. It was funny, Wade had seen many teenagers her age in the same position. Usually he ignored them, or if he felt mean he'd give them a good kick and finish them off. Now he had one in his room, slowly dying.

 _A shame really. She fought so hard. She was so determined to escape, to be free._

 _You're free now kid. No matter what, you're going to die free. You earned it._

One thing Wade had was respect. He respected people who fought, and detested cowards who wouldn't fight for what they wanted.

And this girl was clearly a fighter, no matter how scared she was.

 _You're not like those kids I kick snow at. You're different from them. You weren't going to give up like them._

 _And now you're going to die, and it sucks. Those other kids don't fight, and they survive, but you die because you fought. That's complete bullshit. It's not right! Fighters should survive! We're stronger than them! We're better than them! YOU'RE better than them! You shouldn't have to die!_

Wade grimaced. It wasn't right. She'd clearly spent most of her life being abused and mistreated, and now finally, FINALLY, just when she had just gotten her freedom, freedom that she had EARNED, she was going to die. Alone and scared, with no idea where she was. It wasn't fair! It wasn't right!

 _You soft bastard!_ Wade scolded himself. _Are you actually CRYING?!_

He was. Hot tears streamed down his face, repressed sobs shaking his body. She was going to die, this young fighter who had taken her chance when she saw it, she was going to die and he couldn't save her. She was a fighter, just like him, who could have been his rival, but instead she was wasted, and she was going to die.

He sat with her the whole night. Just when he thought he had his emotions under control, he'd break out in a fresh set of tears. The girls breathing was getting weaker as she lost the fight to live.

"C'mon kid, I know you have it in you. You got this far, you just gotta live." Wade whispered. In the girls face, he saw himself. Taking his chances when he could, surviving against the odds, winning when everyone thought he was defeated. She just had to live, she just had to!

"I'll look after you if you live." He said. "I won't let anyone hurt you again. You and I, we'll make millions, and you'll be comfortable. Just please live!"

It was towards dawn when it looked like the girl had finally drawn her last breath. Wade silently sobbed next to her, certain that she was finally gone.

"Please." He whispered, burying his face in the blankets next to her. "Humiliate me. Beat me to a pulp. Destroy my spirit or break my heart. Take my soul if you must, but for the love of the air I breathe, I am telling you: Don't. Touch. HER!"

His eyes flashed a dangerous shade of silver. A second passed. The silver flashed again, and then steadied into a solid colour, the formerly brown/grey eyes now the same colour as his silver chain, shining brightly. Another second passed. An eternity in one strike of the clock.

Then she coughed. She stirred.

"Where…am…I?" She barely opened her eyes.

"You're home. You're safe." Wade whispered to her.

"Oh." She closed her eyes, her breathing regular and even.

Wade nearly choked. She was going to make it! She was going to survive! The silver in his eyes mellowed out into their regular colour as he calmed down. She was going to survive.

Instantly, his mind began plotting. She'd need a name, there was no way he was calling her "Broken Star", Kowareta Hoshi. He couldn't help but feel that the name Star suited her though.

"I'm thirsty." The girl mumbled. Wade bolted to the kitchen to get her some warm milk. He'd have to train her. He needed to know what those eyes were capable of, then she would help make him rich!

He'd have to take care of her though. That stopped him in his tracks as the milk slowly heated over the stove. He shrugged. As long as he didn't hit her, she'd be fine.

He filled up a glass with the warm milk and returned to the girl. He helped her sit up and drink the milk, again feeling her small hands against his own.

"You're not broken." Wade told her. "So you can forget your old name, we're going to give you a better one."

The girl looked at him.

"Yup." Wade said as she finished off her drink. "You're going to live with me, and we're going to be best friends, and I'm going to name you Lucky Star."

The girl continued to stare at him.

"You ARE pretty lucky. You're also pretty sharp, getting away from your tormentors like that." Wade took the empty glass away.

The girl blinked "W-w-who a-are you?" She asked nervously.

"I'm Wade. Wade Barrett." Wade smiled at her. "And I'm your new best friend."

"Wade." For the first time, the girl smiled at him. "Okay."

"Go back to sleep. You need to get better, then I can start training you." Wade told her.

The girl rested her head back on the pillow, and looked up at Wade tiredly.

Wade smirked. Usually, that smirk made hearts sink, but the girl was more curious now than anything.

"We're gonna rule the world." Wade told her. Still weak and tired, the girl fell into a deep, peaceful sleep, that she would wake from feeling a lot better.

She liked this strange man after all.

* * *

 **Welcome to the prequel to "We Are One"! This will be more of a collection of one-shots detailing the adventures of Wade Barrett and Lucky Star before they got to the WWE! I hope you enjoy!**


	2. Questions

Star sat at the table as Wade Barrett served breakfast, several days after she had first come to England with him from Budapest. He cooked her lots of nice food, like eggs, bacon, mushrooms, toast, tomatoes, but nothing was as nice as the honey, of which he told her she could only have if she behaved.

Star was determined to do her best. Not only for the coveted honey, but because she found that she couldn't help liking the Englishman. He was blunt, straightforward and didn't hesitate to say what he thought. It was a huge turn around for Star, who was used to being kept in a state of confusion and punished when she couldn't figure out what she was meant to do. He didn't lock her in a cupboard or a shipping crate with other girls who would abuse her, instead he gave her a bed of her own in his room so she wouldn't be scared and alone. He didn't feed her old scraps, instead he cooked her nice meals and let her sit at the table like a real human being. He didn't call her "thing" or "it", instead he called her Lucky, and patted her head when she did something right.

One thing that he would do though, that she was used to, was train her to fight. He told her he was an underground bareknuckle fighter, and that most of his money came from winning fights.

"If you're going to stay with me, you need to earn your keep." He said, putting a breakfast plate in front of her, filled with yummy foods.

"I-I can fight." Star told him. He shook his head.

"You're not going to fight just yet. But you ARE going to help me win fights." He smirked. Star couldn't help but like that smirk. It made her feel like she was strong, that she could be part of his plans and do something great.

"H-how?" Star asked.

"Your eyes." Wade replied, digging into his fried eggs. Star blinked. "What can you do with them? I saw that you can control people."

"I-I can see p-paths." Star said. "A-and I…I can see…people when they're hurt…their hurt parts…"

"Paths?" Wade raised an eyebrow. Star looked down. She didn't have the words to explain what she meant.

"You know, sitting their silently like that isn't exactly going to help you. If I ask a question, I expect you to answer." Wade told her sternly.

Star felt tears come to her eyes. "I-I'm s-sorry…" She tried to keep the tears back, but failed. Wade groaned.

"Honestly…" He shook his head. "Are you going to start crying every time I even slightly raise my voice?"

Star tried to keep her sobs under control, but couldn't. Wade sighed.

"Finish your breakfast, then go play in the lounge room." He rubbed his forehead. _This is going to be a challenge…_

"Y-yes Wade…" Star gulped, slowly eating her breakfast.

Wade watched her as she ate. _Paths. I'd daresay that means Future Eyes. Also X-Ray Eyes, but that's a given. So, Puppet Eyes, Future Eyes and X-Ray Eyes. I can use those._

After breakfast, Star sat in front of the television where Wade put her while he went to his "real job" as a recruitment agent. "I've put some leftovers in the fridge for you to have for lunch, they've got your name on them." Wade said. Star nodded, and Wade went to work.

He came home that evening, and immediately was angry.

"I told you that your lunch was in the fridge, why didn't you eat it?!" He yelled at Star, having found that she hadn't had lunch that day.

"I-I-I'm s-s-s-sorry." Star sobbed. Wade threw up his hands in frustration.

'I didn't ask for an apology, I asked for an explanation!" Wade thundered. Star huddled against the back of the sofa, terrified. Wade breathed.

 _Yelling isn't going to help._ He told himself. _It's just going to scare her._

 _She's so infuriating though! Anyone would think she didn't know how to read – oh._

Wade calmed himself, and sat down next to the cowering girl. "Come here. It's okay." He held out his hands for a hug. That just made her recoil even further. "You don't like hugs?" He inquired. Star didn't answer, she just eyed him warily.

"You don't know how to read, do you?" Wade said, trying to keep calm. Star shook her head. "You should have told me. I guess I'll have to teach you."

Star continued to huddle into the corner of the couch. Wade sighed, and flicked the television to the news. The pair sat and watched together, Star slowly calming down.

"So how did you end up in Budapest? You don't have an accent." Wade asked.

"M-my master was visiting a-a friend, and he t-took me and a-a few other girls with him." Star stammered out.

"Where are you from?" Wade continued to question her.

"A-Australia. M-my master bought me when…when I was a b-baby."

That confirmed it. She was definitely a Misneach.

"So you don't know your parents?"

"N-no."

"Do you know anything about where you came from?"

"M-my master told me...I'm...I'm from one of the Great Clans."

"You're a Misneach. I'm from Clan Barrett."

"I-I-I don't know...I don't know the-the clans."

"There's your clan, with the eye powers. My clan, who lost their bloodline trait centuries ago. There's Clan Viper, who are born with demons, Clan Grey Goat who are useless unless they're covered in hair, and Clan Phenom, who are super-powerful."

"Oh."

"Your master didn't tell you much?"

"He-he said...he said I was nothing...I-I was nothing but a-a t-tool..."

"That sucks. I'm guessing your master wasn't very nice to you."

"He…he…he did…things…" Star couldn't bring herself to tell her new friend the disgusting things that her old master had done to her. She began to cry again, trying not to let Wade see.

"Bastard." Wade growled.

 _Where did THAT come from?! What do you care what he did to her?_

 _She's mine now, I'm allowed to be protective of her._

"No one is ever going to hurt you like that again." Wade told her. "You're safe here with me now, and I'm going to show you how to protect yourself."

"R-Really?" Star asked.

"Absolutely." Wade grinned. "Now do I get a hug?"

Star looked doubtful, but she allowed herself to be hugged. Wade patted her back.

"There, that didn't hurt now, did it?" He asked. Star shook her head. Wade sighed.

 _We've got a long way to go._

* * *

 **Oh Wade, what HAVE you gotten yourself into?**


	3. Snow

Wade Barrett went to "work" during the week, and then on weekends he'd fly around Europe for bareknuckle fights. Star was happy to do whatever Wade needed her to do, whether it was helping him by packing his bags while he was at work so they could fly out immediately after he left work, by learning how to cook and clean the house, or by entertaining him.

You see, Wade Barrett is not a very nice man. If there's nothing in it for him, he won't do it. He's also a very cruel and mean-spirited bloke, who often gets a kick out of bullying those beneath him.

It was still winter, and Wade had taken a very scared Star shopping with him to get enough food for the week. Star was slowly learning how to shop, but due to her lack of mathematical know-how, it was very slow going.

"You'll learn kid, but boy aren't you a pain at the moment." Wade groaned as Star carried the shopping home.

Star didn't say anything. The crowds and the noises scared her, and she nearly tripped Wade over many times by trying to get closer to him.

"Will you STOP that?!" Wade growled at her after nearly tripping over her again. Immediately Star began to cry. "You are just impossible!" Wade threw up his hands in frustration. They continued walking, Star still with tears running down her face, trying to keep back sobs. She nearly slipped over on the icy pavement trying to keep up with Wade, which just made him crosser.

"You are next to useless, you know that right?" He snapped at her, taking most of the shopping bags off her. Star felt horrible. She was nothing more than a useless failure. "Hold my hand, come on, you've slowed us up enough already."

Star took Wades hand tentitively, and the pair continued on. Along the way, they spotted some homeless children huddled up against a bin for warmth and shelter. Feeling malicious, Wade kicked a large snow drift at them, soaking them to the bone. He chuckled to himself.

Star watched, unsure of how to respond. She could see how it could be funny, the snow comically blanketing the children before landing on them.

–

Star thought more about the snow the next day. Wade Barrett lived in an apartment with a balcony that overlooked a busy street. Star liked to sit out there sometimes while he was at work and watch people from a safe distance. There was a broom that sat by the door outside that Wade would use to sweep away the snow and keep the balcony, with its small table and chairs, relatively tidy.

Star, for the first time in her life, began to plan. She swept up all the snow that had fallen the night before into a big pile by the rail, which was metal with a gap underneath it. She then patted down the pile so it could slide underneath the rail.

Then she sat by the door and waited. Soon, she could see Wade walking down the road from the train station, looking annoyed. Being bossed around in an office all day with difficult clients didn't suit him one bit, and he often came home in a bad mood. He looked up and saw Star sitting in the doorway, wondering what on earth she was up to.

He soon saw. Hidden by the doorway, Star used the broom to push the pile of snow down from the balcony.

Below, a businessman was looking at some very important documents as he walked along, not watching what he was doing. Wade watched with glee as the snow hit him, soaking him and his precious documents! Now THAT was a way to end a bad day!

Wade managed to keep a straight face until he had retreated to the safety of the empty elevator when he howled with laughter. What a lark! The expression on the mans face had been PRICELESS!

"Hey Lucky!" Wade strode happily into the apartment. Star had retreated to the lounge, not sure of how her prank would be received by her benefactor. The moment she saw his face however, she knew that he definitely approved of her method for amusing herself. "That was GLORIOUS! You should have seen his face! He was furious!"

Wade was nearly doubled over with laughter. For the first time, he saw Star smile. A real smile, not something that was expected of her.

She'd made her new friend happy, and that warmed her heart. She hadn't realised how nice Wades laugh was, how good it sounded and how much it uplifted her.

After dinner, Wade made a special treat of crumpets with honey for his new ward. Star felt satisfied. Her first attempt at pleasing Wade had worked!

–

A lot of people got unexpected cold showers that winter, and several times a week Wade Barret would walk into the apartment laughing with a new tale of how someones day had been ruined by Star.

However, Star, emboldened by her success, wanted to try something more.

"I've got this confounded coffee meeting to go to this afternoon after work, a stupid "team bonding" exercise." Wade grumbled one morning as he got ready for work. Star sat on the edge of his bed, watching him put on his shirt and tie.

"Thankfully it's only across the street, but bloody hell am I going to be bored." Wade continued as Star sat silently. He pulled on his pants and fastened his belt. "How bad do I look?"

Star got up and gave him a quick look-over, tucking in the tag on his shirt which was sticking up awkwardly. "Thanks Lucky." Wade ruffled her hair. Star was starting to like it when he ruffled her hair. It was the colour of dark honey and ended around her lower back. She hated her long hair, it always got in the way. She liked Wades hair though, that curled and made him look a bit wild. He slicked it back for work though, where it sat low on his neck, nearly to his shoulders.

"Now, you stay out of trouble and I'll see you just before dinner tonight." He told her, grabbing his bag and heading out of the door. Star grinned to herself. "Stay out of trouble" simply meant "Don't get caught" when Wade said it!

Star went out to the balcony and watched Wade walk to the train station. She kept her eyes glued to the retreating back until he disappeared down the stairs that led to the train station, then she looked across the street. The cafe across the street that Wade had mentioned was set on the ground floor of a very big business building. The eaves on the front of it sloped down and were covered with snow. Star thought long and hard.

 _But how to get that snow down without getting caught? Someone would see me if I threw something._ She pondered. She looked around her, trying to think of the best way to get that snow down onto an unsuspecting victim without anyone noticing. Just as she was about to give up, she noticed a old line that ran between the building where she lived with Wade to the cafe across the street. It ran right up against the eaves, which shook every time someone went in or out of the cafe, not quite strong enough to dislodge the snow.

Star sat down on one of the balcony chairs, carefully molding a pack of snow with her feet so as not to raise suspicion. She then carefully kicked the pack of snow off the side of the balcony, hitting the line which made the eaves across the street rattle violently, only just holding on to their precious cargo of snow.

 _I know EXACTLY how I'm going to do this!_ Star felt excited. If she could pull it off, Wade would be thrilled with her!

She spent the whole day excited, barely able to get down her lunch. The afternoon dragged badly, with Star on pins and needles. How on EARTH did time move so fast at times but then so slowly at others?

She sat down on the lounge, kicking at it with her heels as she watched the kids shows that were usually on in the afternoon. She had almost mastered the alphabet, something that her old master hadn't seen necessary to teach her, and was slowly learning how to count, which was something Star found considerably harder than letters. Every night Wade would go through the letters and numbers with her, trying his best not to get frustrated with how slow progress was going.

Star paid as much attention as she could to the television which was talking about the letter "E", but her mind kept wandering back to her plan. Could she pull it off?

Finally, the last show ended and Star rushed out to the balcony. She looked impatiently for Wade. He wasn't in the cafe below, she could see that, and he wasn't walking down the street yet.

She got out the broom, and swept all the snow against the side of the balcony, packing it tightly so it would be heavy enough to rattle the line and knock the snow off the eaves. Still no sign of Wade Barrett. Star sat down, her heart racing.

Then she saw him! Suddenly, she felt queer, like her heart was made of helium and wanted to lift her up high into the air. She was smiling, and she felt sunny and glowing all over. Her mind kept repeating his name over and over. _Wade, Wade, Wade, Wade, WADE!_

She exhaled as much as she could, her lungs feeling like they had too much air in them. He was walking behind some other businessmen, lifting his head to say something every so often when one of them spoke to him. She noticed his gray eyes, his dark hair, his broken nose, his thin lips. Star felt very, very queer indeed.

There was no time for that though. Wade looked up and noticed her grinning, wondering what she was up to. It was bound to give him a bit of a laugh anyway, and he needed one after the hellish day that he'd had. Three clients hadn't bothered to show up, one had shown up woefully unprepared and not ready to do anything, another one had yelled at him, cussing and screaming loudly, and another two had treated him like dirt. That was just the clients. His coworkers were either idiots or insane (some both) and he had no patience for any of them. He just wanted to go home and read a book.

They were in position. Star covertly pushed her packed snow down onto the old line. It shook violently, smacking hard into the eaves of the cafe, knocking the snow down onto Wades coworkers!

Wade stopped as his coworkers howled in cold and fury. He saw the line shaking, and Star smirking, and knew immediately what had happened. He inhaled, willing himself not start laughing so hard it killed him. Anyone who saw his face would assume he was angry or disapproving, but Star knew that face – it was Wades "I'm doing everything in my power not to laugh" face.

"What the bloody hell?!" One of his coworkers roared.

"I'm soaked!" Another one moaned.

"What a disgrace, we can't go into a nice cafe like this!" Another one pointed out.

The boss, who had also gotten a nasty shower, agreed.

"We're all going home. You might as well head home too Mister Barrett." He said as Wade stood perfectly dry, watching his coworkers try to shake the cold, wet snow off them.

"Such a shame though sir." Wade said, not meaning a word of it.

"See you tomorrow Wade." The coworkers and his boss left. Wade quickly scarpered across the road and into the elevator where he simply couldn't hold it in any longer. His sides hurt from holding back his glee, and tears streamed down his eyes. Not only did he see his stupid coworkers get what was coming to them, he also got out of a boring afternoons worth of rubbish!

"I KNEW there was a reason I called you Lucky!" Wade burst into the apartment. Star glowed with pride. "That was HILARIOUS! Oh dear me Lucky, I swear I'm going to die of laughter!" Wade couldn't stop laughing.

Then, just to put the cherry on the cake, he heard a noise he'd never heard before. It was soft, musical, and lovely. Star was giggling like mad, finally bursting out into her own laughter.

"I-I-I..." She couldn't even start her sentence, she was laughing so hard. Wade sat on the lounge next to her and they both laughed until their stomachs hurt and they could laugh no longer.

* * *

 **Wade's started teaching Star bad habits! What fun!**


	4. Headband

Wade Barrett led Star through to the basement of a seedy-looking establishment somewhere in Europe. He'd been called by the man who ran the fights here, and offered a lot of coin to come and do battle – even more if he managed to win.

Wade wore his coat over his shoulders, a black shirt and a pair of thick pants with boots. On his pants was his symbol, an anchor. He had told Star once what that anchor meant.

" _An anchor is strong enough to hold a ship in place. It can pull a man down and finish him off. So that's why I chose it."_

"Okay kid, here's how it's going to work." Wade muttered as the pair sat down in a dark corner of the room. The place was filled with thugs, all of them terrified Star, who was close to soiling herself with fear. "You need to use those eyes of yours to tell me the correct path to beat my opponent. We figured out that you can only see four minutes and twenty-three seconds into the future at most, so we need to wait until the last possible moment, okay?"

Star nodded, trembling. Wade groaned.

"You need to be able to speak." He growled at her. Star gulped.

"Y-y-y-yes W-W-Wade..." She stammered out. Wade sighed.

"I won't let anyone hurt you. You're safe as long as you do exactly as I tell you to." Wade stood up and took off his shirt, revealing a muscular body that had most women swooning. "How do I look?"

Star looked at him blankly.

"You're mean." Wade teased. That got a small smile from the frightened girl.

"OI! Barrett! You're up!" Someone yelled. Wade looked at Star, whose eyes turned yellow.

"H-h-he's...he's got something in his glove...it's-it's sharp. H-h-h-he'll use it...when...when you try to finish him off...y-y-you're s-s-stronger than him..." Star tried her best to describe what she saw. "Y-y-y-you s-s-s-should be a-able t-t-to f-finish him off quickly..."

"That's what I needed to hear." Wade ruffled her hair. "Stay right there and don't move."

Star sat obediently where she was. Her eyesight was poor after using her power, and she couldn't see past her nose. She could hear the sounds of the fight going on, the yelling, the cheering, the jeering. She heard Wade yell, and tears began to run down her cheeks. Was he hurt?

Suddenly there was a loud booing, and Wade laughing. Star tried to breathe normally, but she was terrified. She felt someone lean over her, and nearly fainted.

"It's all right Lucky." She heard Wades voice as he put his shirt back on. "You were right about the blade, bastard nicked me with it but I got him good. Let's get out of here."

Star clutched his arm tightly as they got the hell out of there as quickly as possible. Star rubbed her eyes, her vision starting to return to normal.

"How are your eyes?" Wade asked.

"G-g-g-g-getting b-b-b-b-better..." Star blinked a few times. They were standing on a snowy street, and Wades bag looked considerably fuller.

"Will you stop stuttering?! It's getting annoying." Wade groaned.

Star reached for her headband, only to remember that Wade had thrown it off her when they'd first met. Tears welled up in her eyes and she looked away from him. Her headband had been the only thing she'd had, her only possession, and she had earned it through hard work under her old masters top bodyguard, Sasuke Kowareta. She was one of the few girls that her master had who had managed to earn a headband, and it had been the one thing that had kept her going through the hunger, the fear, the cold and the abuse.

"Don't tell me you're crying AGAIN." Wade rolled his eyes.

"N-n-no!" Star tried to stand up straight and pretend she wasn't scared. She failed miserably, but Wade didn't fail to notice her effort.

Sighing, he found a dry place under the eaves of a building, and got down on one knee. "On." He said.

Star looked at him blankly.

"Get on my back, I'll carry you." He explained, exasperated. Star did as she was told. Wade was warm, and his shoulder was comfortable. Star soon dozed off, dreaming about winning fights with her headband on.

–

"Valentines Day," Wade Barrett said as he ate his breakfast a few days later. "Is one of my favourite days of the year."

Star raised an eyebrow. Watching television over the past month or so, Valentines Day just seemed like a stupid excuse for couples to be pathetically disgusting. She had a hard time believing someone like Wade would enjoy things like that.

"Do you KNOW how many couples break up on Valentines Day?" Wade continued. Star snorted into her breakfast cereal. THAT was more like it. "I like to get a table by myself at an expensive establishment and see which couples in the building are going to break up."

Typical Wade. Star was giggling now. It actually sounded like fun, seeing how much Valentines Day was really a sham.

"I've never had a date who actually liked playing that game with me, but I think this year I might have someone who appreciates how stupid Valentines Day is." Wade grinned. "What do you say Lucky? Wanna be my Valentine this year?"

Star nearly burst with happiness. "Y-yes please!" She grinned back."I-I bet t-that I can p-pick more couples that b-break up t-than you c-can!"

"Hey, that's not fair, you have your eye powers!" Wade pointed out. Star smirked. "You're becoming a nasty piece of work, aren't you?" Wade looked at her approvingly. Star beamed.

Later on after he'd gone to "work", Star had sat down at the kitchen table with her pencils and paper. She had intended to study and practice her writing, but she ended up drawing instead.

She drew a rather poor stick figure of herself beating up another stick figure. She drew her headband carefully, remembering how it felt to have the strong metal of the forehead protector against her forehead, proof that she was strong. Headbands were only given to the girls who had mastered Paralysis Slaps, a ninjutsu move where the user channeled power through their hands to aggravate the nerves of their victim, leaving them unable to move. Star remembered how she'd thought of her chakra paths while she was being abused, the only thing that had kept her from breaking completely.

She flinched. Those memories were bad, and they made her feel sick. She wondered if Wade would abuse her like that, and she shook the thought off. He'd made no attempts to abuse her, the worst he did was yell at her and tick her off. That wasn't nearly as bad as...well, no need to dwell on the past.

Getting her headband had been a big day for her, because it meant that she was strong. It had lit a small flame inside her, one that told her that if she could master the ninjutsu, then maybe, _maybe_ she might have a chance at getting away from the horror that was her life.

She looked at the drawing. She frowned. Wade had told her that she wasn't a broken star, that she was Lucky. She had drawn the picture with a broken star headband.

 _I'm NOT broken! I'm Lucky! Wade said so! I'm not broken! I'm NOT!_

She tore the picture in half, and started drawing again. This time when she drew the headband, she put Wades anchor on it instead.

 _That's better. Wade's my friend. He said so. He looks after me and feeds me good food and lets me sleep in a nice bed and makes me comfortable and pats my head and lets me watch television and he calls me Lucky. Wade's my best friend._

Star hadn't realized how exhausting the whole morning had been. She retreated to the couch, where she fell asleep watching television. That's how Wade found her when he got home, looking at her drawings before joining her on the couch and falling asleep himself.

–

"There you go! Don't you look nice?" Wade Barrett beamed.

Star certainly did look pretty. Her long hair was pulled into a ponytail, and she wore a modest baby-blue dress with sleeves to her elbows and the hem just above her ankles. She had a nice pair of flat, shiny black shoes and one of Wades smaller coats on.

Star looked in the mirror. She almost didn't recognise herself – usually she wore one of Wades shirts and a pair of pants. She smiled up at Wade, glad to have his approval.

"C'mon then, dinner is at seven." He took her hand. It was Valentines Day, and Wade, as promised, had booked a very expensive dinner for the pair of them. He wore a light blue shirt, a pair of dry-cleaned and pressed slacks, shiny black shoes, a thick silver chain and one of his long coats over his shoulders. His hair was slicked back and he almost looked handsome.

 _His nose is too busted. Plus he just looks like a knob._ Star giggled to herself, not quite game enough yet to tease her guardian.

"What are you smirking at?" Wade poked her ribs as the pair waited for a taxi.

"N-n-nothing." Star tried to act as innocent as possible. Wade chuckled.

They slipped into the taxi and headed to the resturant. The view over the Thames was brilliant, and Star was quite in awe. She had only been in places like this as a slave, unable to enjoy the ambience, but tonight she was a princess.

Wade politely pulled her chair out for her, and the waiter took their coats. The resturant was warm and smelled delicious, and Star couldn't help but be excited and scared. The waiter brought their menus, and Star did her best to try and read it.

"I think I found a starter you'll definitely appreciate." Wade chuckled. Star looked at the menu again, and saw the one word that Wade was talking about. She giggled.

Wade ordered them a plate of the Spiced Honey-Glazed Chicken Wings as a starter. The waiter took their starter menus and topped up their glasses of water before leaving them to talk.

"Unfortunately this is one of those places that won't take single-person bookings on Valentines Day." Wade complained, sipping his water. "So I always have to bring someone, and most women are sappy and romantic."

"I-I hate it. T-there's n-nothing good on t-television because it's all V-Valentines r-rubbish." Star tried her best to control her stutter.

"Don't you watch the kids shows anyway?" Wade asked.

"I-it's even t-there." Star looked disgusted. Wade laughed.

"Poor Lucky." He looked around. "A lot of sappy couples in here tonight."

Star activated her eyes, turning them bright yellow. She snorted.

"I-if t-the guy b-behind you orders a-a s-soup, t-this will be g-good!" She said.

Wade raised an eyebrow. A minute later, the man behind them ordered a soup.

"You always order soup!" His date complained. "And I always have to clean your shirts afterwards!"

"You know I have problems with my weight!" The man fired back.

"Maybe if you'd EXERCISE...!"

Wade and Star tried to keep their mirth under control as an argument broke out at the next table.

"Oh aren't we going to have a fun evening!" Wade grinned as Star sipped her water. "Your eyes okay?"

"T-t-they'll be f-fine." Star replied, smiling. She had never felt so happy in her entire life. She was at a resturant with her new friend Wade who wasn't going to hurt her.

"Oh god. A super-rich looking couple just walked in." Wade said quietly, spying the most hilarious-looking couple he'd seen for a while. "She's wearing the entire jewellery store and he's probably old enough to be her great-great-grandfather."

Star giggled. Just then, the waiter returned with the chicken wings and some napkins. The pair enjoyed the starter, Star thinking that there was nothing in the world nicer than honey. They cleaned their fingers in the little bowls that were provided, and Star activated her eyes again.

She nearly died with trying to hold back laughter.

"T-t-the s-s-soup!" She giggled. Wade looked confused.

"W-w-watch the r-rich c-couple." Star told him. "A-also, t-t-there's going to-to be a-a m-mix-up."

"Excuse me?" Wade looked around.

Suddenly, the soup that the man had ordered came out. Just then, one of the jewels from the rich ladys dress fell off (not that she noticed). The poor waiter slipped on it, the soup going flying and landing on the rich man!

Wade disguised his laughter with a sip of his water, nearly choking. Another waiter came over with the menu for their mains as another waiter served a couple by a large window their champagne.

"Oh Ronald!" The pair heard a large lady cry, while "Ronald" looked completely confused. His partner had pulled a shiny diamond ring out of her drink!

"I didn't buy that!" He squeaked. His partner went white.

"You moron! That was supposed to come over here!" Someone else called angrily.

"You can't do anything right can you?" The other partner snapped.

Wade and Star couldn't control themselves. Tears of laughter streamed down their faces.

Then, as they were finishing dessert, there was a noisy break-up from further inside the resturant. There was a loud screaming and something smashed as a lady with way too much make up ran out of the establishment, her make up running down her face.

Overall, it was a great evening out. Wade Barrett and Star decided to walk home, enjoying the crisp night air.

"Did you have fun tonight Lucky?" Wade asked.

Star nodded eagerly. "T-thank you Wade." She smiled up at him."V-Valentines D-Day is f-fun!"

"I figured you'd think so." Wade ruffled her hair. "I do have one more present for you though."

Star looked at him quizzically. Wade pulled a small rag out of his pocket and handed it to her.

It wasn't just a rag. It was a long strap of good fabric, and in the middle was a forehead protector with an anchor on it.

Wades anchor.

"Happy Valentines Day Lucky." Wade said.

Star felt tears well up in her eyes, and she fastened on the headband.

"You look great." Wade told her.

Star skipped the rest of the way home, Wade following her with a grin.

* * *

 **Again I had the stupid "There's someone out there for you" conversation at work. There is no one out there for me, because I don't want anyone! So I wrote this chapter as a way of flipping off the sappy, romantic types who insist that relationships are the be-all and end-all. Plus I wanted to show how Star got her new headband.**


	5. Silver Eyes

One thing that really annoyed Wade Barrett no end was Star and her hair. She hated it with a passion, but Wade wanted it kept long. She complained about it regularly.

"It looks pretty." He tried to tell her. "And if you're going to be seen with me, you need to look your best."

"I-it takes FOREVER to m-manage." Star complained. "P-plus it just g-gets in my way."

"Well too bad, you're having it long and that's final." Wade mopped up the last bit of his egg with bacon. It was a Friday morning, and that night the pair were headed to Hamburg for a big fight against a well-known bareknuckle fighter.

"Y-you're mean!" Star whined, making Wade chuckle.

"It's one of my many virtues." He replied. Star wanted to poke her tongue out at him, but was still too shy and scared. Her old master had liked her long hair too, and she didn't want Wade to turn on her and start hurting her too.

Star finished her breakfast (honey toast! What a way to start her day) and went to wash up the dishes as Wade went to get ready for work. After washing the dishes, Star went to sit on the end of Wades bed as he got dressed.

"White or red?" Wade held up two shirts for Star to pick between.

"Red." Star replied.

"Looking forward to Hamburg?" Wade asked as he put on his shirt.

Star nodded. "T-t-there's H-Heathflower Honey and R-Rapeseed Honey a-a-and F-F-Forest Honey..."

Wade blinked.

"I-I-I," Star swallowed. "I was w-watching a s-show a-about honey..."

Wade shook his head, chuckling.

"You really have a one-track mind." Wade ruffled her hair, before grabbing a clean pair of pants and pulling them on.

"O-one of my m-many v-virtues." Star teased. Wade laughed.

"Make sure you have everything ready to go and be downstairs by the time I get home. We'll head straight to the airport." He told her.

"Yes Wade!" Star chanted.

–

"H-He's g-g-going t- g-g-go f-for your l-legs. Y-you n-need t-to s-s-sidestep him. If h-he gets up, then y-you can k-knock h-h-him out w-with one s-shot t-t-to the head." Star looked at Wade Barretts opponent with Future Eyes. "I-if he s-stays down, y-you need to st-stay away. S-step on h-his l-leg if-if he goes to t-trip you."

"Right." Wade pulled off his shirt and folded it. "Stay put."

"Y-yes W-Wade." Star blinked, her eyesight compromised. Wade walked towards his opponent and the fight started. Sure enough, the smaller opponent got down low and tried to attack Wades legs. Wade sidestepped him, and his opponent got up.

He rushed at Wade, who aimed a solid punch at the mans head. The man dropped like a fly.

"YOU WEAK PRICK!" The man who was running the fights screamed angrily. "THIS IS COMING OUT OF YOUR WAGES!"

The man couldn't respond, he was unconscious on the ground. Wade accepted his winners fee, and then went back to get Star.

"Nicely done Lucky." He whispered to her. He pulled on his shirt and led her out of there. On the way out, a lecherous moron tried to grab Star.

"What a pretty thing you are!" He grabbed at her hair. Star shrieked and huddled close to Wade, who grabbed the bloke by his collar. His eyes flashed a dangerous shade of silver as he snarled.

"Touch her again," He warned. "And I'm afraid I'll have some BAD NEWS!"

Star had never heard Wades voice like that before. It was rough and growly, and made Star scared.

"Easy there. No harm done!" The man tried to talk himself out of it. Wade looked menacing, and it was best to leave him alone. Star huddled close to him.

Wade dropped the man in disgust, before taking Star out of there. They walked back to the hotel, Wade with his hand firmly around Stars. He was silent. He'd never been that angry before in his life.

 _He touched your property. I think you're entitled to be a little mad._

"You okay kid?" Wade looked down at Star, who was still crying. She nodded. "You're not really, are you?" He squeezed her hand.

Star didn't look at him, she instead reached for her headband and adjusted it. It felt so good to have a headband again, especially one with her best friends symbol on it.

"How about we go and get some of that Forest Honey you wanted?" Wade suggested. Star perked up at once.

"Y-yes p-please!" She smiled up at Wade, who felt better. He felt a twinge of guilt too, only that morning he'd insisted that she keep her hair long, as much as she hated it. He shook it off. If he was keeping the girl, then he wanted her to look the part.

–

Star was concentrating hard. Wade Barrett was laughing.

"Seriously kid, it's HONEY! It's not rocket science!" He watched as she sat at the table in their apartment, a spoon in every jar of the honey they had gotten from Hamburg.

Star didn't say anything, she just handed Wade a spoonful of Heathflower honey, which was from near Hamburg. Wade chuckled, and ate it. She then handed him a spoonful of Rapeseed Honey, and followed it up with the dark Forest Honey. Wade blinked.

"Point taken." He admitted. "You're not eating all now though."

Star wanted to whine, but she desisted. She sighed, and took another spoonful of the creamy Rapeseed honey, then the Heathflower, and finally the Forest before putting the lids back on the jars. She pouted as Wade took them away.

"Oh stop that." Wade frowned at her. "You're spoiled enough as it is."

Star rested her chin on her arms. Wade ruffled her hair, giving the end a friendly tug.

The effect was unexpected. Star immediately threw herself under the table, terrified.

"What the hell was that?!" Wade was shocked. "Lucky?"

Star was trembling.

"I-I-I." Was all she could manage.

"Come here." Wade commanded. Star slowly crawled out from under the table. "Now tell me what the matter is."

Star gulped. She didn't want to tell Wade why she was scared of people grabbing her hair.

Wade sighed. This was impossible.

"It's okay Lucky. I'm your best friend, remember?" Wade tried to wheedle an answer out of her.

"M-My old m-m-m-master used t-t-to p-pull my h-h-hair when he wanted to...wanted to..." Star began to cry. Wade began to feel the rage build up inside him, but he kept calm.

"What did he do to you Lucky? Tell me, it's better to talk about it." He offered her his hand, and she took it. He led her to the couch.

Star gulped, and suddenly it all came pouring out. The abuse, the being treated like property, the dark shipping container filled with girls who were just as bad as their master, the fear, the sickness, the terror, and finally the training and when she got her headband and decided then and there that she wasn't going to die there.

As Wade listened, the rage overtook him. As he became more enraged, another sensation overtook him. It was as if everything other than Lucky Star left his mind. She had to be protected. She had to be served. She was his princess, his one and only reason for living.

"He will never hurt you again." Wade growled. His eyes were silver again, and his voice raspy and strong. Star felt scared again.

"P-Please d-don't h-h-hurt me." She begged.

"Never." Wade immediately said.

"It-it's also why-why I d-don't like having l-long hair." Star stammered. "I-I-I want it s-s-short."

"At once." Wade agreed. His grandfather had been a barber, and he knew how to cut hair. He immediately raced to his room to get the required tools, while Star looked confused.

Wade was clearly furious beyond words. Yet, it seemed he was willing to do whatever she wanted. He had been quite adamant that she was having long hair, and yet at the moment...

"W-Wade, c-can I p-please finish off the H-Heathflower Honey?" She tried when he came back.

"Of course." Wade replied, dropping his tools on the couch and getting her the coveted honey. Star could feel a smirk coming on. She kept her face neutral though, thanking Wade for the honey before settling down in front of the television as Wade worked on her hair.

An ad for hair products came on, and a woman with short hair but a long fringe that swept to the side came on.

"C-can I have m-my h-hair like t-that?" Star asked.

"Absolutely." Wade said, getting out his clippers. The smirk couldn't be held back any longer, and it was crystal clear in Stars mind – if Wade got so furious his eyes changed, then that meant he would do ANYTHING Star wanted.

She thought about it some more as Wade worked on her hair. _He's not angry at me though. He's angry at my old master. So it's no use trying to make him angry, as he'll then turn the anger on me, and who knows what he'll do to me._ Star thought as she ate the honey happily. _In fact, the only other time I saw it was in Hamburg when that guy grabbed me and scared me..._

Wades mind was filled with nothing but Star. He had to protect her and make her happy at all costs. Nothing was too much for her.

Slowly though, he began to calm down, and his eyes returned to normal. His mind began to wander.

 _Wow. Never been that angry before in my life. Oh well. Lucky's happy._

"How do you like it?" Wade finally took her to the bathroom to look in the mirror. Star was rapt. Her fringe went down the right side of her face, framing it and making her look tough. The rest of her hair was gone, replaced by half-inch short hair.

She went to her bed and pulled her headband out from under her pillow. She slipped it under her fringe, and looked in the mirror, striking Wades fighting pose and admiring the effect.

"Not bad Lucky." Wade nodded. "Not bad at all."

Star grinned.

* * *

 **So now Star has her trademark short hair, slowly working on the image that she will be known for in the WWE. Also, the first taste of "Bad News Barrett". Will Star learn to take advantage? Well, duh, Wade's teaching her to be a bad guy, so the answer is most definitely YES.**


	6. Holiday

"We're going on a holiday." Wade Barrett announced one Thursday morning during the summer. "There's a nice little cottage out in the country I that I own, and we'll be spending a week there."

Star didn't answer him, she was too busy devouring a bowl of porridge flavoured with honey.

"You're a pain kid." He sighed. "Did you hear a word I said or were you too busy shovelling porridge down your gullet?"

"I-I heard." Star swallowed a mouthful of porridge, grinning sheepishly. "I-I've never b-been to the c-countryside before."

"Australia is full of countryside, how could you miss it?" Wade said, before thinking. Star looked sad, remembering things that should never have happened to her. Wade kicked himself. "I shouldn't have said that. Don't worry Lucky, you're going to love it." He promised her.

Star tried to smile. Wade sighed, before getting up and grabbing the honey jar from the cupboard.

"This should cheer you up. Polish this off, I'll buy some more tonight." Wade handed her the jar, much to her delight.

The next morning, Wade shook Star awake early. He told her to pack their things while he picked up the hire car. Star was excited, she was finally going to see the English countryside, something she had only seen through a television screen. Finally, Wade returned with the car and they headed off on their holiday.

Star could barely sit still. The English countryside was beautiful, and she had never sat in the front seat of a car before (we won't discuss the way she used to ride in the car, that would be upsetting). Wade put on his favourite music, and the pair sang along happily as they drove through the hills.

Finally, they came to a lonely hill that was covered in trees. At the base, was the most beautiful cottage that Star had ever seen. Ivy crawled up the brick walls, to the balcony that looked out over the countryside. Star jumped out of the car excitedly onto the stone driveway that led up to the big wooden doors.

"Now, there is only one rule you need to follow." Wade told her as she showed her around. "Under NO circumstances are you EVER to go near that trapdoor over there." He pointed to a trapdoor under the stairs that led from the warm and inviting kitchen to the cosy bedroom upstairs.

"Y-yes Wade." Star nodded.

"Otherwise, you're free to do absolutely anything you want!" Wade grinned.

"Anything?" Star looked up at him.

"Anything." Wade ruffled her hair.

–

It took Star all of an hour to find the beehives. The farmer who owned them was more than happy to give her a suit and show her the hives. They weren't ready to harvest for another few days yet, but the farmer gave her a big container of honey filled with honeycomb to keep her amused.

She loved walking through the woods, at first not daring to leave the sight of the big cottage, but eventually spending an entire day wandering around aimlessly, seeing all sorts of flowers, trees, rabbits, foxes, deer and even a small hedgehog.

Every night she would tell Wade excitedly what she'd seen.

"A-and then the mother came and t-then they both ran off!" Star said excitedly, telling Wade about the deer she had seen that day while they ate their dinner.

"I'm glad you're having fun Lucky, you look happier than I've ever seen you." Wade smiled, spearing a potato with his fork. _She's not stuttering nearly as much anymore. I should bring her out here more often. She's not a bad kid, really._

"I really like it h-here." Star smiled shyly back.

That night she and Wade sat on the roof and looked up at the stars, listening to the owls and the other creatures of the night.

"We're from the Clans, so we don't have to worry about demons or ghouls or anything like that." Wade told her. "The Phenom Clan owns them, and uses them to terrorise the mortals."

"W-we're mortal too though, r-right?" Star looked confused.

"Not quite as mortal. Most of them will only get to their eighties or ninties. Clansmen from the Five Great Clans often live into their mid one-forties." Wade grinned. "You've got a long life ahead of you kiddo."

Star looked up at the stars, where Wade had shown her Hercules and Draco. She sighed. She missed the Southern Cross, the one star constellation that she actually knew from back when she was a slave.

"Shilling for your thoughts." Wade poked her ribs.

Star sighed again.

"I miss the S-Southern Cross." She whispered.

Wade had never seen the Southern Cross before, but he knew it featured heavily on the Australian flag, and so it must be important.

"I'll take you back to Australia some day Lucky. Promise." He said.

Star smiled, and the continued to look up at the stars.

Later that night, Star woke up from a deep sleep in her bed feeling thirsty. She noticed that Wades bed was empty, but didn't think too much of it – Wade was a notoriously poor sleeper, and could usually be found going for walks at midnight or watching television until the wee hours of the morning. Remembering that she could do whatever she wanted, she decided a glass of warm milk was in order. Wearing one of Wades old shirts as a nightie (and trust me, it was easily big enough to fit two of her in it) she wandered down the stairs to the kitchen. When she got there, she noticed that the trapdoor that Wade had warned her against was open, and there was a light shining out of it.

Star looked away from it. Wade had warned her not to go near it, and despite strong curiousity she had no desire to disobey him and make him angry at her for the rest of the holiday. She hoped that he wouldn't see her getting milk while the trap door was open, otherwise she was in big trouble.

She went into the fridge to grab the milk, then reached into a cupboard to get herself out a pan. Just as she banged her head on the top of the cupboard, Wade appeared from the trapdoor!

"What are YOU doing up so late?!" He growled. Star gulped. He wasn't wearing a shirt, and the jeans he wore were covered in blood, some of it very old.

"I-I-I was th-thirsty a-and I w-wanted some m-milk..." Star stammered out.

"You didn't go near that trapdoor did you?!" He snapped, standing over her. Star began to cry.

"N-no! I-I j-just w-wanted s-s-some m-m-m-milk..." She sobbed. The holiday was ruined. Now Wade was angry with her.

Wade groaned. He didn't want Star finding out about his third job. It'd scare her senseless and besides, she simply didn't need to know. The less she knew about his more illegal activity, the better.

Still, he'd have to tell her now. She could easily see the blood on his trousers.

"Lucky, what I'm about to tell you, you are NEVER allowed to tell anyone else." Wade knelt down next to her. "I arrange for it to look like other people have died accidentally so the police don't come after me, and then I torture and kill them."

Star looked absolutely terrified. "I'd never hurt you Lucky, please believe that." Wade tried to calm her. "It's just that some people pay good money to have people they don't like killed."

 _Money + Torture = Happy Wade. And I'm not apologising for it._

"H-how m-much does it c-cost to have you k-kill people?" Star asked, completely throwing Wade off-guard.

"Far too much for you to afford kid." He ruffled her hair, trying to keep his composure. "But I know who you want to kill. You want to get back at your old master, don't you?"

Star nodded.

"You want him to die scared and trapped, the way you nearly died." Wade said softly. Star grimaced. "I'll make him pay Lucky, I swear I will make him pay."

Star looked up into the silver eyes of her guardian.

 _Silver eyes?_

"W-Wade, can you p-please make me some warm m-milk?" Star asked innocently.

"Right away!" Wade got up and got everything together to make Star her drink.

"W-with cocoa?"

"And whipped cream and marshmellows. Also, there's a jar of new honey on the top shelf that you can have."

Star grinned.

–

Two nights before they were due to go home, Wade told Star that he'd be in his chamber again that night.

"K-killing anyone f-fun?" Star asked, eating her crumpets lathered with honey.

"Some Aussie businessman. You might know him." Wade teased. Star tensed when he told her the name of the man.

"M-m-my master...he-he lent me...he l-lent me to that man one night..." Star felt cold. The name Wade had mentioned belonged to a man who was just as sick and perverted as Stars old master. They had been in the habit of "lending" each other girls, and it made Star sick.

Wade growled angrily. "Bastard. What kind of sick FREAK gets a kick out of molesting kids?!"

Wade was evil, yes, but he wasn't disgusting. The mere thought of what had happened to his Lucky Star made him sick to his stomach.

 _YOUR Lucky Star?_

 _Well, I do own her now._

"Would you like to come down to the chamber with me tonight?" Wade asked. Star looked at her breakfast.

"Yes p-please." She whispered.

"You don't have to stay and watch everything, but I want you to have a bit of revenge." Wade told her.

"I want him...t-to be scared. To f-feel ashamed a-and sick and..." Star started crying. Wade immediately went to her and tried to hug her, but she pulled away, still not liking hugs.

"Kid..." Wade whined. Star was shocked to hear a note of hurt in his voice. He shook himself off. "I'm your best friend, remember? I won't hurt you."

"I-I know." Star hiccoughed. Wade ruffled her hair again.

"C'mon, they're harvesting the beehives today. You don't want to be all snuffly for that." He told her. She cleared up a little, but she was still somber as she went to the beehives.

–

That night, Wade Barrett took Star through the trapdoor, wearing the blood-stained jeans. It was a small cellar, and Star was confused until Wade pulled out his phone and used it to unlock a wall, which slid back to reveal a passageway. The pair trudged down the passageway, up a ladder, and down another passageway until they came to a door.

Star felt a wave of nausea as they walked in, the room stinking of blood, excretment and fear. Stairs led down to the room, where Wade walked towards what looked like a garbage chute. Star sat on the stairs. Wade opened the chute, and down fell a man.

Star felt her breath catch in her throat. It was him. One of the men who had abused her.

And Wade was going to make him pay.

–

Overall, it was a good week away. Star was sad to go back to London, but Wade Barrett told her they'd be back soon. There were always contracts to be filled.

"And besides, isn't it fun travelling over Europe and watching me beat people up?" Wade asked as they drove back through the countryside to the city.

"I d-don't get to s-see your fights, r-remember? I'm b-blinded after u-using Future Eyes." Star frowned.

"Good. I don't want you seeing that sort of violence." Wade replied.

Star had to refrain from slamming her head into the dash. What a GIT!

* * *

 **So, Star's found out about Wades third job! Looks like his lessons on being a bad guy are working, because she doesn't care, she just wants revenge!**


	7. Birthday

Wade Barrett stood facing his opponent. It was one of the few times that Wade was dwarfed, this guy was MASSIVE.

Still, Star had used X-Ray Eyes and Future Eyes to get a good scope on how to win this fight, so it shouldn't have been that hard, right?

Wrong.

Wade didn't stand a chance. The brute slammed his fist into Wades neck, sending his whole body numb. The next punch broke his nose (again). Wade tried to get in a punch, but it was no use. His opponent slammed him in the guts with a nasty right hook and it was all over.

The crowd moved on to the next fight, and Wade tried to regain his composure. Star ran over to him, holding his bag and his shirt.

"I-I'm s-sorry Wade." She knelt down next to him. He groaned in pain.

"Next time, probably not that big." He was on his knees, resting his head on the concrete floor, trying not to vomit. He knew Star was a sympathy-spewer, and if he threw up she wouldn't be far behind. "I guess you did warn me not to get hit."

"I-I g-guess s-so." Star stammered out, opening the bag and getting a towel and a bottle of water out. Wade sipped the water gingerly.

"Ugh. I feel awful." He tried to shake off some of the nausea and dizziness.

"Y-you l-look awful t-too." Star tried her hand at teasing him. He smirked.

"Brat." He ruffled her hair. "C'mon then, help me up."

It took five minutes to finally get Wade back to his feet and get his shirt on. He steadied himself with Stars help, and they both headed out of the place, Wade only stopping to get his match fee. It would have been nicer to have a winners fee too, but what could you do?

–

Wade Barrett started getting a lot of cards that week. All of them went through the shredder, once any money, gift cards or vouchers were removed.

"W-Wade, why are you getting s-so many c-cards?" Star asked one day, looking confused at one of the cards.

"It's my birthday soon." Wade told her, taking the card and shredding it.

"W-what's a birthday?" Star asked.

Wade stopped. "Are...are you serious?!" He looked at her. The look on her face clearly showed that she seriously did NOT know what a birthday was. "Oh boy. You see, every year people celebrate the date that they were born on. For me, that's August 10th. So every year on the 10th of August, it's my birthday." He explained.

"Oh." Star picked up another card.

"You've never had a birthday?" Wade asked. "Do you know when you were born? How old you are?"

"B-before my master lost me in the p-poker game, he told the guy who w-won me that I was fifteen years old." Star told him. "T-that's all I know."

Wade felt his heart break, and immediately shook himself. _You. Soft. Bastard._

"Which means your next birthday is your sweet sixteenth." Wade mused.

"I w-wouldn't know. It-it doesn't m-matter." Star sighed.

She got up and sat on the balcony, watching traffic outside. Wade sighed. How on earth could he have forgotten to ask her about her birthday? Some "best friend" he was.

Wait, he was just using her. Totally just using her.

–

The tenth of August arrived. Star looked over at the clock that morning and smiled. While Wade Barrett had been at work, she'd gotten her pocket money together and snuck off to buy him a nice set of anchor cufflinks. She had been told by the shop-keeper that cufflinks were the best present to get him (and given how terrified Star was of even leaving the apartment by herself, she wasn't about to disagree).

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY LUCKY!" She was jolted awake by Wade jumping on her bed.

"You what mate?" Star looked confused.

"And for your first present, I have decided that from now on I'm sharing my birthday with you!" Wade told her, a big grin on his face.

A birthday? Her birthday? She was going to have a birthday?

"C'mon Lucky, you gotta come out to the lounge room and I can give you your other presents!" Wade tried to pull her out of bed. "It's not every day your girl turns sixteen!"

"W-Wade!" Star tried to free herself from his grasp.

"Come ON Lucky!" Wade slipped behind her and pushed her out of bed. Star landed with a thump on the floor, and looked up at Wade.

"Git." She muttered under her breath.

"I heard that!" Wade grinned at her. Star turned red. "C'mon, presents!"

Star sighed, and followed him into the lounge room. Sure enough, there were two big piles of presents sitting on the floor in front of the couch.

Being of the shrewd, wheedling type, Wade had called in a few favours from various family members (including his older brother, who was being groomed to be the head of Clan Barrett) and gotten them to send a present each for his new "best friend". The fact that she was a Misneach who wasn't completely off her face drunk had NOTHING to do with the quality of the gifts whatsoever.

"Come on, which one are you going to open first?!" Wade asked impatiently, getting started on his own (bigger) pile of presents. "You should do what I do, open the small ones first to whet your appetite for the really big ones!"

Star was in shock. She'd never had a birthday before. No one had ever given her a pile of presents to open, or gotten excited about the fact that she had been born in the first place.

She took Wades advice and started on the smallest present. It was a nice necklace, with a pearl hedgehog pendant (the hedgehog being the emblem of Clan Misneach).

"That was from my Dad. He reckons that's what Mum would have gotten you." Wade told her as he ripped open another present (socks. More socks. Why SOCKS?). "Go on, what's the next one?"

The next present was from Wades grandfather, the current Head of Clan Barrett. It was a diary, with a beautiful red cover and even a little lock on it. Then Wades brother had given her a gift card to get her some clothes of her own ("If I know my little brother, he's making you wear his old clothes. Skinflint!" said the card). His aunt and uncle, with daughters of their own who were Stars age, had also sent clothes, the finest fashions from Paris and Rome. His cousins had sent CDs, with lots of music that Star had never heard before but loved instantly. Another aunt and uncle sent jewelery, and another gift card. Other cousins sent more gift cards and vouchers. Star had never been this spoiled in her life, and it was making her dizzy!

"Oh!" She cried. "I-I forgot something!"

She quickly ran back to the bedroom and reached under the bed for Wades present. She went back out and handed it to him.

"Wow Lucky. They're fantastic." Wade smiled, putting his new cufflinks on right away. "I got you a present too...well, more than one, but I'm sure you won't mind."

If Star had been spoiled before, that was nothing compared to the onslaught that Wade had prepared. A new soccer ball, a cricket set, three pairs of ninja sandals, several pairs of thick black pants with a gold anchor embroidered onto them, several pairs of ninja gloves, several durable shirts and finally a long coat of her own.

Star felt tears well up in her eyes again. She wiped them away with the back of her hand as she hugged the coat close to her.

"T-thank you Wade." She looked up at her guardian.

"That's all right kid." Wade ruffled her hair.

Without warning, Star launched herself at him, wrapping her small arms around his neck. Wade flinched, his natural instinct being to counter-attack. He blinked. Star was hugging him, of her own free will, not because he asked her to.

He wrapped his big, strong arms around her, and squeezed her gently. He could hear a sniffle, and knew that Star was crying again.

"A bit much for you, isn't it?" He said quietly, rubbing her back. "You go lie down and I'll clean up here."

"Okay." Star whispered, but she didn't let go. Wade sighed. _She's so bloody annoying..._

He lifted her up and took her back to the bedroom, where he let her rest. He then cleaned up the wrapping paper ( _Should have gotten HER to do it, that's what I'm keeping her for!_ ) and then settled down to watch television.

Later that morning, Star sat up in her bed. She blinked a few times before she remembered that it was Wades – and now, her – birthday. She hugged her knees to her chest. Her birthday. He had given her a birthday. He wanted to celebrate the day that she was born.

Star had been hurt so much in her life. For fifteen years she'd known nothing but pain, hate, suffering and disgust. For her to now be loved...she shook her head. Wade wasn't capable of love. He was a cruel, hard man with a strong lust for money.

And yet...

Thankfully, Star was too innocent to understand manipulation, otherwise her heart would have shattered right there and then. Instead, she decided that no matter what, Wade would always be her number one priority. She would love him completely and utterly, and never waver in her loyalty to him. He was her best friend, her guardian, and she would spend the rest of her life repaying him for the gift that he had given her, whether he asked for payment or not.

Wade looked up as Star walked into the lounge room. Almost immediately he could tell what she had been thinking, and he had to hide a smirk as she sat down next to him.

 _Bingo! She's mine now!_

 _And you're hers._

 _You again?! Go away!_

"One last present." Wade put his arm around her. Star looked up at him.

He reached beside the couch, and pulled out -,

"HONEY!" Star cried in pure joy. Wade laughed as she tucked into her favourite treat.

"Happy Birthday Lucky." He ruffled her hair.

"Happy Birthday Wade." Star smiled back.

* * *

 **Major "AWWWWWWWWWWW" right there. I swear I'm getting soft in my old age.**


	8. Training

It was a pleasant evening in the Barrett household. Wade Barrett was particularly pleased with how Star was going with her education – she could now write her name and write a few small sentences, and she could add and subtract up to one hundred.

"You've been working pretty hard." Wade said as Star packed up her pencils and paper. She beamed. Any praise from Wade was enough to make her day.

"It's time we got you some proper training." Wade continued. "If you're going to continue to join me at fights, you need to be able to defend yourself if something goes wrong."

"I-I'm a ninja Wade, I c-can take care of myself." Star pointed out.

Without warning, Wade grabbed her in a headlock and pinned her to the ground. Star froze in terror.

"That's what I thought." Wade got off her. "You're still skittish and scared, and you need to learn survival instinct."

Star picked herself up off the floor, trying to hold back tears. It had been mean of Wade to scare her like that.

"And you can stop with the crying, do you think some meathead in a back alley is going to care if you cry?" Wade scowled at her. "You need to learn how to take a hit without flinching and give it back. All your fancy Eye Powers and ninjuitsu can't help you if your opponent gets a jump on you."

"Y-yes Wade." Star sat on the ground, trying her best not to cry the easy tears that came to her eyes.

Wade shook his head and went and sat on the couch. _What. A. Pain._

–

After Wade Barrett got home from work the next night, he took Star to the gym. It was out-of-the-way and quiet, so they wouldn't be disturbed.

"Right, now, first of all we need to work on your instincts." Wade said as they sat in the small ring together. "So, whenever you're in this ring, always be on your guard, because I'll attack at any moment."

Star did NOT like that at all.

"Now, get up, and I'm going to come at you." Wade told her.

"B-but I need to put on my headband-," Star didn't get a chance to finish before Wade picked her up and slammed her down onto the mat, knocking the wind right out of her. Star coughed.

"You think someone attacking you is going to wait for you to put on that stupid headband?!" Wade growled at her. "Get up!"

Star gingerly got to her feet. Wade attacked again, tackling Star to the mat and knocking the wind out of her again. She felt tears begin to form in her eyes and she let out a small whimper.

"For crying out loud!" Wade yelled, angry. "You're impossible, you know that?! I'm trying to help you and you're not even trying!"

Star felt awful. She hated letting Wade down.

Wade went to stomp her, but she rolled out of the way and hid in a corner. The tears started falling. Star was terrified.

"You fought off three men in Budapest, but you can't even defend yourself against me?!" Wade kicked the ropes. "You disgust me."

Star swallowed back a sob. "I-I'm s-s-sorry..." She stammered.

"Get UP!" Wade rushed at her again. Star rolled out of the ring and fled behind a bench. "Get back in here NOW!" Wade roared.

Star couldn't move. She was scared beyond anything of Wade now, and nothing would have made her get back into that ring that night.

Wade wanted to rip his hair out. She was such a miserable little coward!

–

Over the next few weeks, Wade Barrett would take Star to the gym on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Star began to dread these evenings, as she wasn't making any progress at all and nearly all of the sessions ended with her crying and hiding from Wade.

The tension in the house could be cut with a knife, and Wade wasn't nearly as nice to her as he usually was. He yelled at her over the smallest little mistakes, and she wasn't allowed any honey at all.

She sat outside on the balcony one Thursday afternoon, hugging herself and wishing that Wade didn't want to train her. It was summer, so she couldn't even dump snow on people to try and get herself back into his good graces.

She had to think of a plan. She closed her eyes and let her chakra flow through her body, to the tip of each chakra path, making sure that the paths remained good.

Then her eyes flew open. She smirked. Wade was in for a rude shock that night!

"OI! Star! Time to go to the gym!" Wade walked in later that evening. Star was ready, and walked past him to the door. "Well...that was easy." Wade raised an eyebrow.

Star had her headband on, not wanting to get caught unawares. She was a ninja after all, it was time she acted like it. She might have had only one jutsu but it was enough for her to wear a headband.

The pair walked to the gym, where Star immediately got into the ring. Wade looked cautiously at her. What was going on?

He found out the moment he stepped into the ring. Star weaved the hand signs that had gotten her freedom, and attacked.

"RAT! TIGER! MONKEY! SNAKE!" She barked as she clasped her hands together in quick succession, each time weaving a different hand sign. She then charged at Wade, hitting each of his limbs with the deadly Paralysis Slaps!

Wade roared in pain. Paralysis Slaps sent pain through his limbs and made them feel heavy and numb. He was couldn't move and was completely helpless.

"Not...bad...kid..." He groaned. Star beamed as Wade fell to the mat. That showed HIM!

Star sat in one of the corners while Wade recovered. It took about fifteen minutes for all of the pain to subside and his limbs to work properly again.

"Think fast!" He tackled her the moment he felt he was able. Scared again, Star dodged and hid in another corner.

"At least you're getting better at dodging." Wade sighed. "And you're not just freezing up."

Star didn't say anything. Wade frowned. She hadn't been speaking much at all lately.

 _Because she's scared of you, DUH!_

 _Will you go away?_

 _No! Yes, you should be training her, but scaring her because she can't fight is just plain mean._

 _Hello?! I AM mean! It's like, the first thing on my resume._

 _Well, if she's your "best friend" then you can't be mean to her. Go give her a hug._

 _WHAT?!_

 _Go on. Hug. Now._

Wade blinked. This new voice in his head was really annoying.

"Lucky?" Wade bent down to her level. "It's okay. I'm sorry I was mean."

Star looked up at him as he opened his arms for a hug. She was cautious, was this another attack?

"I won't hurt you, promise." Wade said. That was enough for Star, who flung herself into his arms.

 _You know what she's been through. No wonder she's scared and skittish._

 _Okay, okay, I get it already!_

Suddenly Star gripped tighter around Wades neck. The little brat had gotten him in a headlock!

"Of all the cheeky - !" Wade laughed, tickling her. After weeks of looking downcast and crying, Star finally smiled again, before breaking into uncontrollable giggles.

The pair play-wrestled for a while, before Wade pulled Star into his lap.

"Next week we're going to try again." He told her. "I want you to be ready for anything, okay?"

"Yes Wade!" Star smiled up at him.

The pair made their way back home, where after dinner Wade presented Star with a generous serving of honey.

"You did pretty well today. You deserve a treat." He ruffled her hair.

Star didn't answer, her mouth full of honey. Wade shook his head, trying not to laugh. She infuriated him at times, but man did he love...enjoy her company!

* * *

 **Wade is mean! Poor Star!**


	9. Little

Wade Barrett groaned. Loudly.

"W-what's the matter Wade?" Star asked as she cleared up the breakfast dishes.

"A letter from my uncle Wallace. My cousin Sophia (well, third cousin twice removed) is staying with us for a week while her room gets redone – AGAIN." Wade threw the letter he had just read down on the table. "She's your age, and an absolute brat."

"Most Barretts are, a-aren't they?" Star asked, a little too innocently. Wade snarled at her, but his red ears gave away that he was amused. Star poked her tongue out at him.

"You're getting far too big for your boots missy." Wade got up and flicked her nose.

"OW!" Star cried, rubbing her now sore snoot. "WADE!"

"Serves you right for being cheeky." Wade rinsed out his coffee cup.

Star sulked. It got worse when the next afternoon, Sophia arrived. She had dark hair and eyes like Wade, but her nose was extremely snobby and stuck-up, and she had plump lips that looked almost comical.

"Oh, so YOU'RE Wades slave-girl." She looked down her nose at the smaller Star, who had her fingers in her mouth. "Well, hurry up and get these bags to my room!"

"HEY!" Wade stepped in, already annoyed with his cousin. "You put your own bags away. You're a guest here, remember? Lucky actually lives here."

Star hid behind Wade, scared of the girl who was now staring daggers at her. "Fine." Sophia said tersely, picking up her over-packed bags and storming to her room. "WHERE THE DEVIL IS THE BED?!"

"Lucky has it in my room." Wade told her, walking casually to the spare room. Sophia turned red with anger.

"Well, why don't you go and get it for me?!" She snarled.

"Because that's where Lucky sleeps." Wade folded his arms and counted to ten in his head.

"She's a slave-girl, she can sleep on the couch!" Sophia protested.

"I-I don't m-mind..." Star stammered, looking up at Wade. Wade scowled.

"I have a better idea." He said suddenly.

Later that night...

"You're letting HER sleep in YOUR bed?! With YOU?" Sophia looked scandalized.

"Lucky's my best friend. Only the best for her." Wade ruffled Stars hair, while Star looked like she just won lotto.

"That's not fair! She gets to sleep in a big king-sized double bed while I get stuck on a stupid thin single!" Sophia cried in fury at not getting her own way (something she was very, VERY used to).

"Hey, you insisted." Wade shrugged. "Goodnight Sophie."

"SOPHIA!" Sophia hissed as Wade closed the door to the spare bedroom. He led Star into their shared room, where they both got into the big king-sized bed.

Star was a bit nervous at first (after all, the last time she had shared a bed with someone, that someone had been abusing her) but after ten minutes of Wade snoring, she cuddled up to her favourite person in the world and fell asleep as well.

Meanwhile, Sophia fumed. How DARE her cousin put a SLAVE-GIRL over her!

–

"How come SHE doesn't have to go to school?!" Sophia fumed the next morning when Wade Barrett told her that she WASN'T getting a week off school.

"Because Lucky's had a hard life, and sending her to school now would just be detrimental to her development." Wade told her sternly. "Besides, Lucky doesn't just sit around a goof off all day like you would, she actually works around the house and does lessons."

Sophia snarled. Star hid a grin. She couldn't help but enjoy watching Wade needle his spoiled cousin, especially when she benefited from it!

"Now, you will come with me to the train station and I'll see you off to school." Wade said with a note of finality.

"You used to be cool." Sophia whined.

"You've always annoyed me." Wade helped Lucky clear away the breakfast things. "Well? Are you that stupid that you can't put a plate in the sink?"

Sophia looked mortified. Why, at home she had servants do that sort of thing for her!

"Why can't SHE do it? SHE doesn't have to get ready for school!" Sophia continued to whine.

"I already told you, Lucky has her own lessons and chores to get done." Wade scowled at his younger cousin. "So you can help out by putting your own dishes in the sink and rinsing them off."

Sophia looked LIVID. Star did her best to suppress a smirk.

"NOW Sophie." Wade said.

"SOPHIA." Sophia snapped back.

Star couldn't help herself. She put on her best scared face and huddled up to Wade.

"I-I don't m-mind Wade." She looked up at him.

Wade frowned.

"You know what? Since you obviously need to learn how things work around here _Sophia_ , you can do the breakfast dishes instead of Lucky." Wade put an arm around Star, who could barely suppress her mirth. Sophia nearly fell off her seat. "And make sure they're done before I'm ready for work or else!"

With that, Wade escorted Star to their bedroom where she'd talk with him while he got ready for work. Sophia nearly cried with rage. How DARE he make her do the work of that slave-girl?!

"You're just bitter you're not going to be head of the Clan!" Sophia tried.

Wade laughed, not bothering to respond. He couldn't care less about being the head of the Clan, it was far too much responsibility and not enough pay-off. Being the second son gave him more freedom and power than anyone else in the Clan, and that's the way Wade liked it.

Being a responsible adult and a monument to society aren't exactly Wades top priorities.

–

Sophia sulked. It had been a fun day at school yes, but that wasn't the point. The point was that Wade Barrett, her cousin, wasn't letting her get away with murder the way she was used to.

She stomped ahead of Wade as they walked off the train at the end of the day. Wade was in a foul mood himself, as usual work had been a complete and utter chore. The only reason he actually had a job was because it was good to have a solid, regular income plus he didn't want his family finding out that he was a underground illegal fighter and murderer.

Those things just aren't very _nice_.

Star meanwhile was trying to keep herself from dying of laughter. It had rained heavily on and off all day, and the drainage on the balcony wasn't the best, which meant there was a considerable amount of water that could be pushed off the balcony and onto unsuspecting victims. Star had drenched several people that day, having the time of her life between cleaning the house and doing her lessons.

She was about to go for another round when she noticed Wade and Sophia. Wade looked ready to kill and Sophia was a good few paces ahead of him, pointedly ignoring her cousin. Star caught Wades eye and grinned at him. Wade raised an eyebrow at her. What on earth did that cheeky bugger have planned now?

Sophia walked under the balcony, not watching where she was going. SPLASH! A cold shower of water cascaded over her, causing her to shriek with rage!

Wade didn't even bother trying to keep his laughter under control. He howled with mirth at his unfortunate cousin, nearly crying with how hard he was laughing.

"Oooooh!" Sophia growled, thankfully not realizing that it had been Star who had drenched her. "I HATE staying here!"

"Why? Wasn't it time for your bath anyway?" Wade giggled uncontrollably. Sophia was ready to kill him. Her makeup was running down her face and her new mink coat was ruined.

They headed upstairs. Star was sitting on the sofa watching her educational programming.

"Hi Wade." She beamed up at Wade when he walked in, still chortling over his cousins misfortune.

"I suppose slave-girl here doesn't know how to dry-clean?" Sophia scowled as Star put on her most over-the-top sympathetic face possible. "WADE! She's mocking me!"

"She's just trying to be sympathetic!" Wade ruffled his Lucky Stars hair. Furious, Sophia stormed out and went to the bathroom to clean herself off. "You're a bloody genius kid, have I ever told you that?" Wade said softly to Star, who giggled.

"I c-couldn't resist." She smiled up at Wade. "She's s-so annoying!"

"I know. Only a few more days Lucky, then we'll be rid of her." Wade gave Star a one-armed hug.

Sophia couldn't believe it later that night when Wade presented crumpets with honey as dessert – and Star went nuts.

"Are you serious? THIS is what passes as dessert in this household?!" Sophia looked incredulously at the offering.

"Lucky loves honey." Wade shrugged as Star scarfed down her dessert.

"Have you ever given her any REAL dessert?! You cheap bastard." Sophia scowled.

"Hey Lucky, want some ice cream?" Wade asked.

"C-can I have honey on it?" Star looked up at him as Sophia nearly fell off her chair.

"Sure." Wade got up and went to get three bowls of ice cream.

"I-if you don't want those c-crumpets..." Star looked innocently at Sophia. Sophia was about to retort when she saw her cousin glaring at her.

"Fine, go ahead." She said, defeated.

"T-thanks!" Star began devouring Sophias share of the dessert.

 _And people say I'M spoiled._ Sophia thought bitterly.

–

"Dad said you'd be able to train me on how to fight." Sophia said the next day as she got on the train with Wade Barrett.

"What gives him that idea?" Wade asked innocently.

"Wade, the whole bloody Clan knows about your illegal activities." Sophia snapped. Wade turned red. "The only reason you're not in deep trouble is because you keep up the pretense of this other job, plus your brother is going to be Head of the Clan."

"Swell." Wade muttered under his breath.

"Being a member of the Main Family has its bonuses." Sophia pointed out. "Although it also has its drawbacks."

"Like?" Wade couldn't think of any drawbacks to being a member of the Main Family of the Barrett Clan.

"Arranged marriages. You DO know you were supposed to marry me." Sophia told him.

Wade raised an eyebrow. _Ew. Gross. No._

"You're only getting out of it because that stupid slave-girl of yours is a Misneach, and you KNOW the policy on inter-clan partnerships." Sophia continued.

Wade smirked. All the Clans, whether they were at war or not, LOVED it when inter-clan marriages happened. The resulting children were termed "super-clanners", who had the powers from both of their parents. Unfortunately, the generation after that only got one power or the other, but still, super-clanners were considered gold.

Wade didn't mention that he had no intention of breeding with Star though. The mere thought of being married made him shudder. He had better things to do with his life. However, if the Clan thought that he was going to breed with Star and that got him out of marrying the little twerp sitting next to him...

"I'm going to be stuck marrying Seth from the Rollins family." Sophia pulled a face. "A member of a BRANCH family."

"Too bad. There's no way I'm letting go of Lucky." Wade pulled out his newspaper. Sophia raised an eyebrow. Unlike Wade, Sophia knew all about the supposed long-dead bloodline curse of the Barrett Clan. She wondered if Wade had accidentally Imprinted on the girl. He certainly was fond of her.

Sophia shook the thought off. She knew her cousin well, and there's no way he would ever love anyone other than himself and his bank balance. In order for a Barrett to Imprint, they had to give their heart and soul over fully to someone, then their eyes would turn silver and they'd be Imprinted for life. Wade simply wasn't capable of caring about someone to that extent. It was clear he only wanted the girl for her eyes, that was it.

"You still have to train me though." Sophia snapped. Wade rolled his eyes.

"FINE. You can join Lucky and I at the gym this evening." He buried his nose in his newspaper.

There was that pet name again. Sophia sincerely wondered if that girl hadn't somehow gotten through to her stone-hearted cousin after all...

–

"OOF!" Star hit the mat with a thud. She quickly rolled out of the way, lest Wade Barrett decide to have another go at her while she was down.

"Good. You're getting better at recovery." Wade nodded. Star smiled. "Now we've just got to get your counter-attacking. Running away won't get you anywhere, I think you know that from experience."

"Y-yes Wade." Star nodded.

"Which is why from now on I am putting a permanent ban on your Puppet Eyes." Wade told her.

"YOU WHAT MATE?!" Star cried in total shock. "T-that's m-my s-signature m-move!"

Sophia looked up from her sit-ups. _Why on EARTH would he ban her from using her most powerful Eye Power?! What is WRONG with him?!_

"Remember Budapest?" Wade sat on a turnbuckle. "You used Puppet Eyes on one of those morons, but he got taken out and you were left blind. If it hadn't been for me, you would have been killed."

Star flinched at the memory. It already seemed like forever ago that she'd escaped, knowing that she was more than likely going to die...

"That's why Puppet Eyes needs to be used sparingly, only in life or death situations where there is absolutely no other choice." Wade continued. "Otherwise you leave yourself vulnerable, and if I'm not there to protect you...well, let's not go into that."

 _Although if you've Imprinted on her then she doesn't need to worry about that._ Sophia thought. _She's practically immortal until you die Wade._

"Instead, let's focus on your ninjutsu." Wade suggested. "What's that move you used on me called?"

"P-paralysis Slaps." Star told him. "Rat. Tiger. Monkey. Snake."

Wade tried to copy the hand signs that Star made, but it was difficult.

"I-it's not just the hand signs, each sign has a different feeling." Star explained. "They're all different elements. Rat is Water, Tiger is Wood, Monkey is Metal and Snake is Fire."

She ran X-Ray Eyes over Wade. "P-plus your chakra paths suck." She shrugged.

"HEY!" Wade looked offended.

Sophia finished her sit-ups and stood up. "HEY! WADE! I'm done this circuit like you told me! You going to train me now or what?"

"Go do another circuit, I'm busy." Wade brushed her off.

Sophia had finally had enough.

"LOOK, I'm your family!" Sophia roared. "And at one stage, I was your betrothed! You should be paying more attention to ME, not to this little slave-girl!"

Wade was about to tick Sophia off, but suddenly Star flew into a complete rage.

"I. AM. NOT. LITTLE!" She screamed in fury, attacking Sophia.

Sophia shrieked in fear and ran for her life, Star close behind her. Wade stood in the ring, dumbfounded.

"Uh...Lucky? Can you not kill my cousin? There's kinda a lot of paperwork if you do that, being that you're a Misneach and all..." He said as he watched Star throw dumbbells at Sophia, narrowly missing as the Barrett heiress feared for her life.

"WADE! GET HER OFF ME!" Sophia cried in terror as Star flew at her again.

"LUCKY! Honey!" Wade tried.

Star immediately ran to Wades side. Wade couldn't help but laugh as he gave Star her treat.

Sophia meanwhile was furious. She was heading straight home after that!

"My father will hear about this." She muttered.

* * *

 **Well, looks like Wades cousin learned the hard way - best not to call Star a certain word beginning with the letter L!**

 **Thanks to Babyedge102a for your review. Hope everyone is enjoying reading these and that they go well with "We Are One".**


	10. Fight

Wade growled. This fight wasn't going his way at all.

He'd headed to Luxembourg with Star under the impression that he'd be fighting one other fighter before leaving. Instead, he'd been thrown into a cage with nine other men, and he knew this would be a fight for his life.

Star had used X-Ray Eyes on the other men, so he had some advantage, no matter how small. Alas, Star had also pointed out that he had an injury of his own – one of the muscles in his back was tighter than it should be.

So far, three of the other men were unconscious, two looked wrecked, and the others were sporting various cuts and bruises. Wade wasn't in good shape himself, a blood nose, a black eye, sore ribs and a limp weren't helping his cause.

Star sat quietly in a corner, praying no one would notice her. She knew she could easily escape with Wades training and her ninja skills, but she wouldn't leave her best friend. Wade looked beat up, and she was worried about him.

Wade waited, not wanting to make the first move. The other men had the same idea. All of them wanted out of the cage, but they all knew that the only way they were getting out was through the other fighters.

Wade decided he had to do something. He feinted, and one of the other fighters fell for it, rushing at him. Wades fist connected with his face, and as he fell Wade kneed him in the guts, dropping him. The other fighters decided that Wade was the biggest man there, he had to be taken out.

Even Wade couldn't take on five men at once. Blows rained on him, and he felt the muscle in his back give out painfully. One foot hit his nether regions hard, and all the breath left his body, replaced with pain.

Star was crying. She didn't want to see this happen to Wade. She wished so badly that he hadn't banned her from using Puppet Eyes, she could have taken over one of his opponents and used them to help him. She sucked her fingers, trying to stay calm.

Wade slumped against the cage, feeling sick and sore. The other fighters had now turned on each other, giving the Englishman some breathing room. He looked towards Star and saw that she was upset. He had to get out of here and get her to safety. If she got too more upset she might do something stupid, and he'd never forgive himself if he let that happen.

Autumn had fallen around them, and it was almost a year since he'd found the poor girl in Budapest after the Battle of Buda. The fight itself had become legendary, he often heard it spoke about in underground circles. He'd almost forgotten about the fight after what had happened afterward.

The other fighters were starting to tire and thin out. Soon, there was only one left. Wade knew he had to take his chance. With a great effort against the pain, he heaved himself up and back into the fight. His opponent was wounded too, but had instinct enough to make life difficult for Wade. The pair exchanged pained blows, both of them surviving on guts alone.

Wade felt a hard blow against his face and stumbled. Sensing blood in the water, his opponent followed it up with a kick. To this day Wade has no idea how he managed to dodge the kick, but the kick missed, and Wade capitalized by clotheslining his opponent to the ground.

The fighter hit his head hard on the concrete, knocking him out. Wade had only just barely survived.

He heard the cage wall being pulled away (what, do you think underground fights bother with doors?) and he was pulled out of the carnage. Someone roughly shoved a bag of money into his already sore guts and sent him on his way.

Star hiccoughed. Wade stumbled towards her as the crowd dispersed, heading upstairs to get smashed on drugs and alcohol.

"W-W-Wade..." She sobbed as he finally made it to her, coughing up blood.

"It-it's okay L-Lucky..." Wade gasped out. "I...I'm fine..."

Star looked at him with tears in her eyes. He rested his head on her shoulder. She looked over him with X-Ray Eyes. He was in bad shape. No internal injuries to any organs thankfully, but the muscles over the back of his ribs were torn and he was covered in cuts and bruises. It looked like he had a broken rib too, and a broken cheekbone.

"Poor Wade." Star sniffled. Wade had to have a small laugh at that.

"I'm fine, really." He sat down next to her gingerly. "Ow."

"Y-your ribs are broken...y-your cheek is broken..." Star pointed out. Wade shrugged, and regretted it.

"Help me get my shirt back on kid, and let's get out of here. This is no place for a girl like you." He said. With great difficulty they got Wades shirt back on. They emptied the bag of money into Wades bag, and they headed off into the chilly night.

"Wade!" Star cried as Wade slumped over on the street against a wall.

"I'm FINE." He insisted.

Star wanted to argue, but she was too timid. Wade coughed again. Star held him tightly, trying to keep his heavy body off the cold pavement.

"C'mon...we gotta get to the airport..." Wade tried to walk, but it was difficult.

"S-should we get a t-taxi?" Star asked.

"At this time of night?" Wade looked at her. He was right, the streets were mostly empty. Star groaned.

They shuffled slowly down the street, Wade stumbling every couple of steps, his weight falling on Star, who did her best to keep herself upright.

They were sitting ducks, which was evident when two young thugs saw them and picked them as easy targets.

"Hand over your money, and we might let you go." They approached, grinning.

Wade groaned. He knew what was going to happen next. It had happened to him enough times – all of his hard-earned money was gone and even more injuries were on their way.

"G-go away!" Star tried. She couldn't let them hurt Wade! Not after everything he had done for her!

"Star, get out of here, now." Wade commanded her.

Star looked at him, shocked. Run away?!

"Good idea poppet, wouldn't want you get hurt now would we?" One of the men leered at her. Star grimaced. She wasn't going to abandon Wade. Not now. Not when he needed her.

She set Wade on some nearby steps and pulled out her headband. The men laughed as she tied it on.

"What are you doing?! Get out of here!" Wade cried, before wincing in pain.

Star activated X-Ray Eyes. Both the men were in pretty good nick, but one had a bad elbow and the other had a dodgy knee. She grinned. This was going to be too easy.

"Ooooh, we got ourselves a pretty ninja girl here!" One of them clapped his hands together gleefully.

"Rat! Tiger! Monkey! Snake!" Star weaved her hand signs.

"Lucky NO!" Wade tried to get off the steps, but the pain was too much.

"We'll have some fun with you. Make your boyfriend watch." The bigger of the two men pulled out a switchblade.

He attacked, but Star was too fast.

CRACK!

A sound like a gunshot rang throughout the street and the man howled in pain. She'd gotten him in his bad knee with Paralysis Slaps. She finished him off with a kick to the back of the head, knocking him out cold.

"You BITCH!" The other man also pulled out a switchblade. He stabbed at Star, who got him in the ribs with another Slap. He roared in fury and pain, striking out with the blade and slicing Stars forearm.

She hissed with pain, before getting his bad elbow. Furious, he slashed again, getting Stars chest this time.

"LUCKY!" Wade felt tears in his own eyes. NO! This wasn't how this was meant to work!

 _Actually, yes it was._

Star hit three more Paralysis Slaps before the power in her hands dissipated. That was the drawback to Paralysis Slaps – it was only good for five strikes.

The man was winded and wounded, but still able to fight. Star checked him out with X-Ray Eyes again.

"Rat! Tiger! Mon-," She tried to weave the signs again, but she was knocked off her feet by the brute. She landed heavily on her back.

Wade felt his breath catch in his throat. Without thinking, Star rolled out of the way, getting some distance between her and her attacker.

"Rat! Tiger! Monkey! Snake!" She cried. The attacker tried one more time, but five more Paralysis Slaps left him on the ground, twitching.

Blood oozed from Stars new wounds, and she started sobbing. Wade stumbled off the stairs and wrapped her up in a fierce hug, ignoring the pain in his body.

"We'd better get going before they get up." He said finally. Star nodded miserably and helped her guardian up.

They slowly made it down the street as the dawn broke over the horizon.

* * *

 **Awww, Stars first fight. So cute!**


	11. Books

Star filled the ice cube trays with water before setting them in the freezer. She then grabbed the plastic bags she'd filled with ice cubes and tied them off. She felt miserable. Wade Barrett was still in bed, recovering from the wounds that he'd sustained that weekend in that horrible cage match. Dr Issac Yankem had fixed him up as best he could (while being pleasantly surprised to see Star all alive-o and thriving) but unfortunately the only thing that was going to heal Wade was time.

Star walked into the bedroom, where Wade was staring at the ceiling. She handed him one of the bags and he held it to his face, which was black, blue and purple.

"Thanks Lucky." He said quietly, his voice hoarse and pained. Star placed one of the other bags on his ribs, and slid the other bag underneath him to nurse his back. "You should lie down too, let those stitches heal."

"I-I'm fine Wade. Really." Star grinned at him. Dr. Yankem had stitched up the two cuts she'd gotten against the two thugs, and Star barely noticed them now.

"Glad one of us is feeling good." Wade groaned. The bag of ice on his ribs started to slide off, so Star held it in place. Wade pulled her down to lie next to him, and put his arm around her.

"No more crying when we train. You've proven yourself now, there's no more excuses." Wade told her.

"Y-yes Wade." Star said.

"And we really need to work on that stutter." Wade continued. "You've gotten a lot better, but don't you think it's time you conquered it once and for all?"

Star didn't answer, instead she looked away.

"Lucky, I asked you a question. I expect you to answer." Wade insisted.

"Yes Wade." It took Star an effort, but she managed to reply without stuttering. Wade smiled.

"Good." He settled back down. "Ow." He groaned, his face aching badly. "No more cage matches."

Star suddenly had an idea. She headed to the kitchen to get a jar of honey and a spoon.

It might not have really helped, but it did make Wade laugh.

–

Star had had a very busy day. Wade Barrett had finally healed enough from his injuries to go back to work, and he'd left Star several tasks to do that day. First, the whole apartment needed a good vacuum. Secondly, the fridge really needed to be cleaned out. Then of course, the fridge needed to be restocked.

Wade wasn't the type to be tight-fisted with money, no matter how much he loved his bank account, and any money he gave Star for chores was always considerably more than she needed. "Oh, and get yourself something nice if you have any money left over." He always said to Star. So with her pocket money plus any funds she had left over from buying groceries, Star usually had enough money for anything she wanted.

Not that she wanted much. When it came to clothes she didn't mind wearing Wades clothes (they smelled like her guardian, which Star didn't mind. Wade smelled like curry, cigars and aftershave, and Star liked those smells) and Wade always brought her home plenty of workbooks and pencils for her to work with and play with. She had her soccer ball now, and her cricket set, which she loved to play with, kicking the soccer ball around or practicing her bowling against the toy wickets in the small courtyard behind the apartment building. One thing Star didn't have a lot of though was books. Wade was a well-read man, but his books were a bit too mature for Star at the moment, so the most practice Star got reading was her workbooks.

On this particular day, after Star had bought enough groceries to last the pair the week (thank you self-serve checkouts), she was walking home when she saw a book on one particular subject that she loved very much (and if you can't guess the subject by now, then I officially give up) in the window of a second-hand book store. She nervously walked into the shop and asked about the big book. The shopkeeper was a kindly old man who took pity on the stuttering child and let her have the book for three pounds (Star still confused by how pounds worked, given she was used to the Australian dollar). It was difficult, but finally she got all that shopping and the big book home. She put the groceries away (sorely tempted to start eating the honey, but she knew Wade would have a fit) and started pouring over the book. She was just reading about different beehives and how to collect honey when Wade arrived home.

"H-hi Wade. How was work?" Star asked. One look from her guardian however and she wished she hadn't.

"Bloody idiots who don't know how to bloody file properly, then there's stupid bloody clients who know bugger all and expect me to work miracles. Then the bloody boss has the HIDE to drag me into his office and demand that I work bloody harder!" Wade ranted (replace a couple of those "bloodies" with stronger language and you get the idea), making Star wish she'd just stopped at "Hi Wade."

After ten more minutes of ranting and a good, strong coffee, Wade noticed that Star had a new book. "What you got there Lucky?" He sat down on the couch next to Star, who grinned.

"I f-found it at a bookstore today. It's all about -," She started.

"Honey, right?" Wade chuckled. "You're such a nerd."

"Am not!" Star fired back.

Wade grinned. "Why don't you read some of it to me?" He asked, sipping his third coffee for the evening (and he wonders why he has insomnia...).

Soon, Star was happily reading about Langstroth hives to Wade, who noticed that her stutter was almost completely gone when she read. He began to plan...

–

"H-hi Wade! Dr. Yankem says I'm f-fine, and I should start g-growing s-soon...uh...Wade?" Star walked into the apartment the next afternoon after a checkup with Dr. Yankem, who had confirmed that the girl was in perfect health and would hopefully have a few growth spurts soon.

Wade Barrett grinned at Star. "What do you think Lucky? Your own library!"

The books were mainly Enid Blyton, with a bit of Louisa May Alcott, Cynthia Voight and of course J.K Rowling thrown in. He'd also managed to pick up a lot of the Babysitters Club books. He'd bought her a bookshelf all for herself, and it was packed.

Star couldn't think properly. She wanted to hug Wade, but was too scared to do it.

"T-t-thank you Wade." She looked down at the floor, tears welling up in her eyes again.

Wade rolled his eyes. "We really need to stop you from crying at the drop of a hat. C'mon, what book do you want me to read to you first?"

Star looked up and walked over to the bookshelf. She picked up a book with a picture of four children and a dog on the cover.

"This one please." She said quietly.

"Oooh, a Famous Five book!" Wade grinned. "I'll read the first chapter, then you can read the next one, okay?"

"Okay!" Star nodded.

After that, every night before bed Wade and Star would read a chapter each of a book to each other, a tradition that lasted the rest of their lives.

* * *

 **Seriously, I LOVE Enid Blyton, especially the "Malory Towers" books. Plus, if you haven't read the Tillerman books by Cynthia Voight then you are missing out big time! Plus her book "Izzy Willy-Nilly" is a huge eye-opener. Go on! They're all on Amazon, go read them!**

 **Reviews are always appreciated, I do like to know how I'm doing!**


	12. Sports

As time went on, Wade Barrett and Star became close. Wade was the big brother that Star had never had, and Wade felt a strong responsibility towards Star. Wade started to trust Star, involving her in his plans, whether it was a big fight, a car jacking, a theft or a murder (although Star was never allowed to kill anyone herself). Star felt safe around Wade, and stopped stuttering around him (although she was still scared of other people). Most people who saw them thought they looked like a strange brother and sister.

However, the facts remained. Wade is English, Star is Australian. Australians and Englishmen are designed to antagonize each other. Especially when there's sport involved.

"Do you watch football?" Wade asked one day as Star slurped up her spaghetti lunch.

"Sure! I'm a huge Brisbane Lions fan!" Star replied happily.

"They're an Australian team?" Wade asked, twirling his spaghetti on his fork. "I'm a big Preston North End fan. The Barrett Clan are based in Preston."

"I don't know where my clan is based." Star said sadly. Wade shrugged.

"I know they're near Brisbane. That's probably why you're a fan." He said.

"My old master was a filthy Collingwood fan. I couldn't do that." Star shuddered.

"Collingwood?" Wade asked.

"The biggest footy club in Australia, and only three teeth and four IQ points between them." Star grinned. "The joke is that a Collingwood fans mother, aunt, sister and wife are all the same woman."

Wade nearly spat his lunch out with laughter.

"Who's your favourite player?" He composed himself.

"Alastair Lynch. Best full-forward ever, and he played with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome." Star told him. "Career didn't end so well though."

"My favourite player of all time is Sean Gregan." Wade shoveled down another forkful. "Tough as nails, played his heart out for PNE."

"I miss footy." Star sighed. Wade grinned.

"Wanna watch the game tonight?" He asked. Star beamed.

"Yeah!"

However, when the game came on...

"Uh...soccer?" Star looked confused.

"FOOTBALL." Wade sternly corrected her.

"Can we get Aussie Rules over here? You know, a real game?" Star asked.

Wade went bright red with rage. "You will watch footy and you will love it! None of this "Aussie Rules" rubbish!"

"You're kidding. Soccer has to be the softest code out there." Star blinked.

"FOOTBALL!" Wade raged again. Star rolled her eyes.

"Touchy." She sighed, settling in to watch PNE play. "Can I at least show you Aussie Rules after the game?"

"Maybe." Wade snapped.

After the game Wade was in a better mood, given that PNE had won easily.

"So, what about this Aussie Rules you love so much?" He asked Star as they got ready for dinner.

Star grinned. "I'll show you the "no rules" game against Essendon shall I?"

"No rules?" Wade raised an eyebrow.

Star loaded up the game on the laptop, and within minutes Wade was hooked.

"It's like Rugby a bit isn't it?" He asked innocently.

It was Stars turn to turn red with rage.

"IT IS NOTHING LIKE RUGBY!" She fumed. "RUGBY IS AN INFERIOR SPORT IN EVERY WAY!"

Wade dived behind the couch. Star could be scary when she wanted to be!

–

As all Australians and Englishmen know, the Ashes is a BIG DEAL. Wade Barrett wasn't the worlds biggest cricket fan, but even he knew that the Ashes were a BIG DEAL and acted accordingly.

"Cricket season again. Time to beat the convicts." He smirked one morning as Star turned the cricket on.

"I'm sorry, but WHO won the last series?" Star bit back. Wade growled, and Star smirked.

"Just you wait." Wade warned.

"We're playing the first Test at the Gabba, the home of the Brisbane Lions and the one place Australia never loses. After that, you're easy pickings." Star continued as the first ball of the Australian summer was bowled.

"Get real kid, this is the year that you lot go down – again!" Wade snapped.

"Wanna bet?"

"I don't make bets with filthy convicts."

"Says the bloke who's claim to fame is that he's a criminal who won't get caught!"

"That was a low blow!"

The pair were nose-to-nose now. Suddenly a great roar sounded from the television as the Australians got the first wicket of the summer.

"YEAH! AUSSIE, AUSSIE, AUSSIE, OI, OI, OI!" Star cried as Wade howled in fury. "Take that you Pommy gits!"

Wade looked at the screen. The English batsman was calling for a review.

"DRS? Pfft." Star brushed it off.

The slow replay showed. Then Snicko came on. As the ball went past the batsman, a small crack sounded.

"He's got to turn that over! Not out!" Wade cried.

"He's gone! Back to the pavilion with him!" Star protested.

The umpire folded his arms across his chest. The decision was overturned.

"YES COP THAT YOU BOGAN!" Wade roared as it was Stars turn to howl in fury.

It got to the stage where every cricket season the house was divided in two – the Australian side and the English side.

–

Wade Barrett came home one day in an okay mood. His boss hadn't been in that day, and a lot of his clients hadn't shown up, so he'd spent most of the day goofing off and catching up on other things.

That changed when he saw Star in tears.

"What NOW?" He rolled his eyes, putting his briefcase on the table.

"The-the Lions...they lost...to...to _CARLTON_!" Star howled in misery.

Wade went white. The Carlton Blues were the one team in the AFL that you NEVER wanted to lose to, no matter how well they were going. It was just the single most embarrassing thing that could ever happen to you, knowing your team lost to _Carlton_.

"Lucky, it's okay. Everyone's losing to _Carlton_ this season." He tried to comfort the distraught girl. "Even Hawthorn and Essendon both lost."

"But it's _Carlton_!" Star cried.

"I know." Wade grimaced. He knew that there was little to nothing you could do for someone once their team had lost to _Carlton_.

–

"Wade, you need to eat." Star tried her best to get Wade Barrett out of bed.

"Mrph." Was the depressed reply.

Star looked sadly at the forlorn figure lying in front of her. Wade hadn't moved all weekend. If it wasn't depressed silence it was crying and pleading. He was in agony, and Star was worried about him.

He wasn't eating. He wasn't making sarcastic remarks. He wasn't being mean or training Star or doing anything that he usually did. It was as if his whole world had come crashing down around him, and he didn't want to go on anymore.

It hurt Star to see her hero fallen like this. He was distraught, and there was nothing that could be done to help him.

"Wade, I know PNE got relegated, but there's always next season and the chance you'll get promoted!" Star tried. "It's not the end of the world!"

"Yes it is." Wade buried his face in his pillow. "We got _relegated_."

"Wade, you know if things go well you could very well get promoted again. In fact, I'm certain we'll could get promoted next season! You just gotta get up!" Star pleaded, shaking him.

Wade let out a loud sob, before throwing the covers over his head and trying to smother himself with his pillow.

* * *

 **Thankfully there's no relegation in Aussie Rules, we just have to deal with losing to _Carlton_. Thankfully although the Brisbane Lions came last, we didn't lose to Carlton this season (although my best mates team Essendon did LMFAO!). Also, Alastair Lynch is a freaking legend. He was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue in 1995, and played a huge role in our premiership 3-peat of 2001,2002 and 2003 (we won't talk about 2004. We never mention 2004). **

**Hope your sports team goes well (unless you follow the Gold Coast Suns, in which case you can burn in hell).**


	13. Growing

**A/N This chapter goes into a few of the more...gross things about being a female. Read with caution.**

Star curled up on the bed, feeling awful. Her guts hurt her and she wanted to vomit.

"That's what you get for eating too much honey." Wade Barrett chided her. "You'll feel better in the morning, trust me."

"Ughhhh..." Was the muffled reply. "My back hurts."

Wade rolled his eyes.

"I'll get you a hot pack. Gosh you're putting it on." He shook his head.

Star felt miserable. She'd been sick all day, and Wade wasn't making things any better. He was certain she'd overeaten and was annoyed. She was supposed to do the laundry that day, as well as vacuum the carpets and clean the kitchen, and he'd come home to find Star still in bed and none of her chores done.

She felt tears come to her eyes again. What a horrible, rotten, miserable day.

–

Next morning, the pair woke to a very nasty shock. Star was covered in her own blood!

"Oh no! Lucky!" Wade Barrett cried in a panic. Blood was all over her sheets. "Oh Lucky, I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I'll call Dr. Yankem! Just stay in bed and please don't die!"

Star blinked. Apart from still feeling a bit queasy, she actually felt quite fine. The blood was a bit concerning though, so she lay back down and rested.

Eyes as silver as jewelery, Wade grabbed the phone and quickly speed-dialed Dr. Issac Yankem.

"Dr. Yankem! It's Star! There's blood everywhere and I was so horrible to her yesterday when she said she felt sick and now she's going to die and it's all my fault!" Wade sobbed into the phone the moment Dr. Yankem picked up.

"Um, Wade? I'm going to take a guess and say that the blood is all over her lower half, correct?" Dr. Yankem rolled his eyes on the other end of the phone while the patient he was pulling a tooth from yelled in agony.

"Will she live?" Wade whimpered.

"Wade, she's just having her period." Dr. Yankem explained.

"Her what?"

"Her period. That time of month. The bloody Red Baron. She's on her rag."

"Her...rag?"

"Wade, do you know ANYTHING about the female reproductive system?"

"I'm a bloke!"

"Look, once a month, women bleed from their uterus for anywhere from 2-7 days." Dr. Yankem tried his best not to groan at Wades ignorance. "They can have other symptoms such as cramping and nausea and mood swings."

"She hasn't done this before!"

"Because she was malnourished and unable to grow properly. Now that you seem to be feeding her correctly, her body has the nutrients it requires for her to go through puberty."

"Oh...so she's not going to die?"

"NO Wade. She's perfectly healthy."

"Oh...so what do I do about the blood?"

"Get her some pads or something. Look, I'm busy, and I'm charging you 50 pounds for this call as it is!" Dr. Yankem hung up before Wade could protest.

"She's...fine." Wade blinked. "What on earth did he mean by pads?!"

–

After that, Wade Barrett was a bit nicer to Star around that time of month. Of course, not knowing the first thing about female hygiene, he made her wear incontinence underwear for the week. Not very attractive, but it held the mess.

A few weeks later, Stars body began to ache. It didn't last longer than a day or so, but it happened a few times over a few weeks.

"DR. YANKEM!" Wade howled into the phone. "Her whole body is in pain, what's wrong with her?! Oh I can't lose her!"

"Wade," Dr. Yankem tried to keep the note of annoyance out of his voice. "She's growing. Remember what I said about her being malnourished?"

"Yeah...?"

"Like I said, you're obviously feeding her well, because her body now has the nutrients it needs to grow properly. She'll always be a bit on the short side, but she's now going to go through a few growth spurts. She's fine."

"...Oh." Wade said as Star raised an eyebrow at him. "Oh...okay then Dr. Yankem."

"You interrupted my dinner. 200 pounds." Dr. Yankem growled, before hanging up.

"You're...just...growing?" Wade looked at Star, who shook her head at him.

"Can I have a jar of honey?" She asked, looking up at his silver eyes.

"Of course you can." Wade went to get her the treat at once.

Star grinned. SCORE!

* * *

 **Sorry the chapter is a bit short, but the idea was so amusing to me that I just had to do it. Plus I am absolutely LIVID at my bosses at the moment, so I had to blow off some steam.**


	14. Cars

Wade Barrett peeked out from behind a building. The coast was clear.

"Okay Lucky, Future Eyes time!" He whispered.

 _This is totally illegal._ Star thought as she used Future Eyes on the car that they were targeting. "Nup. Police are in the next street and the blokes about to head out to take out the bins. He'll stop to talk to the neighbour and have a smoke. If we go now we'll get busted."

Wade swore.

"Remind me why we're lowering ourselves to petty theft again?" Star asked as Wade peered out again.

"This is the bastard that tricked me into that cage match." Wade told her. "And I believe in settling debts."

"Can't you just leave a bag of flaming crap on his doorstep?" Star groaned.

Wade blinked. "Good idea, we'll do that too. You can be so smart when you want to be Lucky." He patted her head, making her wish she'd kept her mouth shut. "Anyways, that is a Jaguar E-Type he's got there, and it's worth a LOT of money. We sell that to the right people and we could make a lot of coin."

 _Some guys think with their genitals. Wade thinks with his bank account._ Star smirked to herself.

She rubbed her eyes, which were sore and fuzzy after using Future Eyes. She felt Wade close to her and wasn't scared. As long as it was just her and Wade, Star felt happy and safe. She didn't stutter around him anymore, although that changed if someone else spoke to her.

"There the bastard is." Wade growled (replace "bastard" with something stronger). "Backstabbing, dishonest _bastard_."

Star opened her mouth, but said nothing.

"Look at him, smoking those filthy expensive cigars." Wade spat in disgust.

Star pretended she hadn't heard.

"Greedy berk." Wade finished.

Star choked back a snort.

"Excuse me?"

"Nothing Wade!"

Wade frowned at her as she twiddled her thumbs.

 _Ever look in a mirror Wade?_ Star thought cheekily.

"How long does it take to have a smoke, geez..." Wade checked his watch. Star concentrated on her breathing. Wade could take an extraordinarily long time smoking a cigar if the mood took him!

The man took his time enjoying the cigar. He then checked on his roses. Then he had to check out the Jaguar. Then he went to check the letterbox. Then he had another cigar. Then he had a chat to a neighbour. Then he had to check the geraniums.

Stars eyes healed up, and she could see Wade was close to having a fit. She sat on his feet and looked up at him innocently.

"How much longer is this idiot going to be?!" Wade groaned.

"Can't we just go home and try again later?" Star whined.

"This is a matter of HONOUR Lucky!" Wade insisted.

"How much are you getting paid for this?"

"Enough to buy myself a couple of cars if I wanted."

"Annnnd there's the truth."

"Enough out of you."

"Yes Wade."

Wade flicked Stars nose. "Ow!" She cried.

"Shhh!" Wade scolded her.

Star rubbed her sore nose. Of course this was about a bloody contract that Wade had. There had to be a financial incentive, why else would he do anything?

 _Not much financial incentive to take care of you._

Star shook the thought off, slightly pink now. She knew she was special.

Finally, the man went inside. Wade nudged Star with one of his feet. She sighed and used Future Eyes.

"Safe, although if we're too loud he'll hear and be right back out again, and the police are still around." Star told him. "We can't start the engine."

"You what?!" Wade asked incredulously. "You want me to push the car out of the drive?!"

"And out of the other side of the street." Star pointed towards the end of the street that led away from the police.

"You have GOT to be kidding me!" Wade looked horrified. "We'll get caught for sure!"

"I can't see any further. I know we'll get down about three houses safely, maybe we could start the car from there?" Star suggested.

"What, and have the neighbours notice us? Lucky, use your brains. A car starting in front of a house where there was no car before?!" Wade shook his head. "We have to get it either started in the carport or we're pushing it until we find somewhere we can start it without getting caught, which increases the likelihood that we WILL get caught."

"Well, how do YOU usually steal cars?!" Star asked.

"Usually not from homes. Usually we just punch the owner out and drive off." Wade sighed. "Alas this guy has his henchmen with him nearly all the time. So we have to be sneaky."

"Why can't the person who gave you the contract just buy a Jaguar?" Star asked innocently.

"It's not so much about the car as it is about revenge." Wade told her. "Something about sleeping with his wife or something."

"So you're getting the money from the contract, PLUS you're going to sell the car?!"

"You got a better idea? I don't need a car, it's too expensive to run one in the city and besides, driving is a pain."

"Fair enough."

Wade growled. He looked towards the house, noticing that the streetlamp outside was flickering. What a way to spend a Saturday night.

"Fine. C'mon, you're going to be behind the wheel while I push." Wade decided.

"But I've never driven a car before?" Star pointed out.

"Just sit behind the wheel and steer. Not hard." Wade rolled his eyes. "And don't touch any of the pedals, if you put the brake on you'll make my life impossible."

"I thought I already did that?" Star asked as they headed across the street.

"Shh!" Wade shushed her. They approached the car. Wade pulled out a can of liquid nitrogen and quickly found the cars security system. Freezing the system, he pulled it off and crushed it with his foot.

"Now to break in." He grinned. It was easy to break into the old Jaguar, and soon he had the handbrake off and Star was steering it out of the driveway.

"Bloody hell this thing is heavier than it looks." Wade muttered to himself as the pair slowly made their way down the street.

Alas, past the third house in the street was an incline, barely noticeable to the human eye but very significant in terms of wheeled objects.

"Uh-oh..." Star quickly jumped from the car.

"Bloody hell no!" Wade hissed as the car got away from him.

It rolled down to the end of the street, gaining speed, before ploughing through a fence and into a park, where it flipped over a low seat and landed on its roof in the river.

"Move!" Wade grabbed Star and they hid behind the building again, just as the owner of the Jaguar ran out to see what had happened.

"MY BABY!" He screamed in horror. "NOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Star had to breathe deeply to avoid laughing. Wade had a hand over his mouth as he took a picture of the carnage to send to his employer.

They headed home before bursting into laughter. It was always good to see someone get their comeuppance!

* * *

 ***Sigh* and these two wonder why everyone beats them up.**


	15. Brawl

"Bloody hell." Wade Barrett rubbed his sore head. The Irish bastard in front of him grinned.

"You got a wee boo-boo there fella?" He taunted the bigger man. Wade growled. Star watched from the sidelines. Todays fight was in Belfast, and the white, red-haired monstrosity that Wade had been booked to fight was a cheeky so-and-so.

"Not enough to stop me from ending you!" Wade attacked, a stern right fist sending his opponent flying into the crowd. The white Irishman staggered to his feet, before Wade lifted up his boot and kicked him in the head.

The crowd cheered. Star watched with interest. Wade held all the cards against the Irishman, who looked like he'd never been in a real fight in his life. He tried to get to his feet again, but Wade kicked him fair in the guts, sending him sprawling back to the ground.

The Irishman may have gotten the first hit on Wade, but Wade had definitely gotten the last. The crowd booed loudly as the proud Englishman picked up his opponent, slung him over his shoulders, and then threw him to the ground again.

Game Over.

"Nothing like beating the Irish." Wade grinned as he sat with Star in the pub later.

"What about Australians?" Star asked cheekily.

"You don't even register on my radar." Wade teased. "Surely you're going to drink something stronger than lemonade kid!"

"I'm underage!" Star pointed out, sipping her drink.

"So?" Wade took a swig of his whiskey.

"Plus I'm a Misneach." Star looked at her drink. "And if they're as drunk as everyone claims they are...I think I'm better off staying away from that stuff."

Wade sighed. "Fair enough. One day we'll have to find where your clan is."

"Does anyone know?" Star asked. Wade sipped his drink again.

"I doubt it. The Misneach Clan and the Grey Goat Clan are pretty secretive about where they're hiding. I know that the Phenom Clan are based in Death Valley in the USA, and that the Viper Clan have a few hotspots in the USA, China and Spain." He recalled. "I definitely know that the Misneaches are near Brisbane though, because once a week a group of them head out to the Casinos and win all of the money they can. The Casinos can't catch them at it, which is causing a lot of headaches for a few of the more richer families in the area."

"Like the Lyncness family." Star said darkly.

"Lyncness? Yeah, I've heard of them." Wade looked at her, realization dawning on his face. "Oh Lucky, surely not..."

"Yup." Star said flatly. "Apparently I'm not the first Misneach they've bought, either."

Wade nearly spat out his drink in fury.

"A LEECH family?!" He growled.

"What's a leech family?" Star asked.

Wade breathed, trying to keep his temper under control.

"The Five Great Clans have a lot of power in the world, and while we have plenty of friends on the outside, there are also people who would take our power as their own and use it to their own ends." Wade spat in disgust. "Misneaches for their eyes, Grey Goats for their skin, the Phenoms for their creatures of the night, the Vipers for their demons and us for our connections and political clout."

"And those people are leeches?" Star asked, as Wade seethed.

"Leeches must be killed. All of the Clans agree on that." Wade bit. "I'll report this to my grandfather, he'll keep an eye on the situation."

"Why? What interest would the Barretts have in the affairs of the Misneaches?" Star looked confused. Wade banged his hand hard on the table, startling her.

"Haven't you been listening to me?! Leeches are the WORST thing that can happen to a Clan. We might fight among ourselves from time to time, but we all unite when people try to steal what's rightfully ours." He growled. "It seems no matter how many leeches we clear out, someone always has to try and take something they have no right to. I can't believe your Clan has let this go on!"

"If we're as secretive as you claim, plus drunk as skunks, then I can sorta understand how it went under the radar..." Star looked at her drink again.

"Lucky, if it doesn't stop, more of your people are going to be killed." Wade impressed upon her. "Misneaches can't survive without their eyes, if they lose them, they die."

Star went white. Anger welled up inside of her. Her old master had been going to kill her all along.

"But he already has a set of Misneach eyes. Why did he need me?" She wondered.

"Did he have any children?" Wade asked. "He could have been preparing you for his heir."

"No, he didn't." Star stirred her lemonade with her straw. She remembered all of the times that she had felt ill, before having extremely bad bleeding from between her legs. "I think he was trying to get me pregnant..." She whispered.

It was Wades turn to go white. "Oh that is the lowest of the low! Not even I would stoop to something like that!" He gripped his drink tightly, nearly breaking the glass. "I might not be the most shining example to the world, but at least everything I've got, I earned with my own two hands! Not by stealing someone elses power!"

Star felt miserable. She wanted to go to bed and go to sleep and forget everything for a while.

"You okay kid?" Wade put a hand over hers. She shook her head. "I know. When I was about ten, we found some leeches in our Clan too. They were using our political connections to try and sway some elections overseas so that they could get laws passed that would allow them to underpay their workers."

"Did it work?" Star asked as Wade finished his drink.

"Nup. Grand-dad got wind of it, and sent my father to deal with it." Wade grinned. "I've never seen so much blood in my life."

"Explains so, SO much." Star joked, finishing her lemonade.

"What can I say, that night I got a taste for murder and mayhem." Wade grinned at her. "Come on, I'm having another drink. Surely you can try a lemon, lime and bitters."

"I suppose..." Star sighed. She was getting tired, plus her head was spinning with what he'd just told her.

Suddenly, the Irishman that Wade had beaten earlier stormed angrily into the pub. Wade raised an eyebrow as he demanded a Guinness from the barkeeper.

"Someone's grouchy." He chuckled.

"You'd know better than I would." Star quipped, earning a filthy look from Wade.

The Irishman noticed the pair sitting in a booth away from everyone else. He growled low in his throat, before storming over.

"What are you doing in me pub?!" He demanded.

"Having a drink with my friend and eating a pretty shitty meal on the whole." Wade replied. Star shrank back into her corner, scared of the big white Irishman with his wild red hair.

"How DARE you! You'll be apologizing for that right this instant fella!" The Irishman roared in fury. "Or else Sheamus O'Shaunessy will be dealing with ya!"

"What, like you did earlier when I beat you all over the place?" Wade asked innocently. Sheamus started to turn bright red, which looked ridiculous with his red hair.

"You take that back fella! I ain't alone you know!" He threatened Wade, who raised an eyebrow at the "backup" Sheamus had brought with him.

"How droll." Wade rolled his eyes. "Lucky and I will deal with you easily, won't we kiddo?"

Star looked absolutely terrified.

"HER? Your little lassie there doesn't look like she could lift me bags!" Sheamus scoffed.

Star heard the word "little" and it was on. She flew out of her seat and smashed her fist into Sheamus's face, catching the Irishman off-guard.

"I. AM. NOT. LITTLE!" She roared as she continued to pummel the man.

"Oh dear..." Wade groaned, getting up.

Meanwhile, two of the men backing up Sheamus had grabbed Star and were about to punch her out. Wade grabbed one and knocked him clean out with one shot to the jaw. The second man he threw over another table and into the wall.

"GET THEM!" The barkeeper roared angrily. Sheamus and his lackeys, along with a few other big men who had been dining at the pub surrounded the pair.

Star felt Wade against her back. She gulped. This is what all of her training had been for.

"You ready kid?" Wade asked.

"He called me little." Star replied, pulling out her headband and fastening it on tightly. She clapped her hands together.

The men all had chairs and broken glasses, ready to attack. Wade smirked. It had been a while since he'd been in a good brawl.

Sheamus went for Wade, and the fight was on.

"RAT, TIGER, MONKEY, SNAKE!" Star weaved her hand signs, before taking out three men with Paralysis Slaps. Wade fought off Sheamus, and was instantly set upon by three other men, who he struggled against but managed to fend off.

Star felt a blow to her face and turned around to kick the perpetrator in the nads. Someone smacked her hard across the shoulders with a broken beer bottle, scratching her, so she turned around and hit them with Paralysis Slaps.

The fight only lasted about ten minutes, but it felt like forever. Star found herself having fun, despite the injuries she now had.

Eventually, she and Wade managed to make their escape, bundling out of the pub with a "AND STAY OUT!" following them.

"Well Lucky," Wade said, shouldering his bag. "Remind me never to call you the "L" word where you can hear me!"

Star grinned shyly at him. He put an arm around her and they headed back to their hotel.

Several years later when they were in the WWE, they found out that Sheamus still hadn't learned this valuable lesson. His loss.

* * *

 **So, we've gotten a bit of a lesson on leeches, and a cameo from our favourite Great White!**


	16. Dogs

Star was firmly attached to Wade Barretts arm as they walked down the street from another shopping trip, this time to get Star some more clothes.

It had not ended well. Star hated being touched for fittings, and she was scared of talking to the shop assistants. Wade was furious with her, and it didn't help that she continued to get in his way while walking home.

"ENOUGH." Wade finally pulled her off him after she nearly tripped him for the fifteenth time. "Will you stop being a coward and walk properly? Who do you think is going to hurt you out here?!"

"We nearly got mugged in Luxemburg..." Star pointed out, trying to keep back the tears.

"Yes, and you beat the crap out of them." Wade countered.

"I just..." Star couldn't explain it. She hated being around crowds, she hated being touched by strangers, she hated talking to people.

"You just what? Hmm?" Wade frowned at her. "Don't start sentences you have no intention of finishing."

Star looked at her feet.

"I'm up here." Wade growled. Star lifted her head. "Walk properly or else." He warned her.

Star did her best to try and ignore everyone around her. It was hard, and the temptation to hide behind Wade again was strong.

Suddenly, Star saw a dog. Star loves dogs, and she'll usually pat one if it comes up to her.

"Look at the dog Wade, isn't it cute?" Star pointed across the street to the dog.

Wade tensed up. "Lovely." He bit, not looking at the animal at all.

Star looked confused. Wade would always look if she pointed out a cute cat, why not dogs?

–

Star was waiting in the foyer of the apartment building where she lived with Wade Barrett, sitting on one of the seats with the big suitcase Wade owned in front of her. They were going to South Africa for a change, and Wade had promised her that he'd take her for her first trip to the beach. Star was quite excited about this, as she was a good swimmer (thanks Wade) and loved the water.

She looked at the big clock in the foyer and was just figuring out the time when a dog and its owners walked in. The dog wasn't on a lead, and so it bounded up happily to Star, who was thrilled.

"Hello doggy!" She ruffled its fur. It was a golden Labrador, a big fellow who loved any sort of attention. His owners smiled at Star while they organized themselves.

Suddenly, Wade walked in, looking harassed and annoyed after another rotten day at work.

"You ready to go L-," He stopped. He saw the dog.

The dog didn't think anything was amiss, and immediately went to go and say hello to Wade.

"Isn't he gorgeous?" Star grinned. The dog tried to jump on Wade, and the reaction was NOT what Star was expecting.

Wade turned a nasty shade of white. He then screamed (loudly) and jumped onto the nearest table.

"GET THAT ANIMAL AWAY FROM ME!" He squealed.

Star blinked. What on earth?!

"Sorry." The dogs owners quickly led the happy pooch away. Star watched as they headed upstairs, and then she looked at Wade, who was tentatively getting down from the table.

"Are you okay Wade?" She asked.

"I hate dogs." Wade replied.

"Why?" Star asked.

"I just don't like them, okay?!" He growled at her. Star shrank back. She was curious though. Why did Wade act out like that when approached by a friendly animal? "C'mon, we're barely going to make our flight as it is, let's go already."

Star followed Wade out of the building and into a waiting taxi. Hmmm...

–

Cape Town in South Africa was gorgeous. Star loved Gordon's Bay, where the beach was beautiful and the water felt so good. She also liked hiking up Table Mountain and the drive along Chapman's Peak. She stayed close to Wade Barrett, who for once wasn't too fussed with her being so close to him.

One shock she did get though, was finding another Misneach! It was completely by accident, she was using X-Ray Eyes to inspect some fish that she saw swimming at one of the beaches, and a man a little older than Wade saw her.

"What on earth are you doing with X-Ray Eyes?!" He said. Star jumped.

"H-h-how d-do y-y-you know?" She asked.

Wade was sunbathing nearby, and he saw the man talking to her. He grimaced, and walked over to find out what was going on.

"Another Misneach?!" He was stunned too.

"Oh look, the second son of the Barrett Clan, a Lemon if I ever saw one." The man looked down his nose at Wade. "Yes, I'm a Misneach. What are you doing with Treelo?!"

"Treelo?" Star looked confused. The man blinked.

"You're...not Treelo Misneach?" He asked. "But you look just like her!"

"I'm Star." Star told him. "I-I haven't s-seen any of my-my Clan before."

"You...you've never been to Radaxian?" The man looked worried. "Oh no..."

"Leeches." Wade told him.

"Bother. So many Lemons in Radaxian, why couldn't they be Rosebuds?" The man shook his head with a sigh. "You must be the one they sold. I'm Adam, by the way, Adam Rose."

"N-n-nice to m-meet you." Stars stutter was back again. Wade put a hand on her shoulder.

"Maybe you could point us in the direction of where the Misneach Clan is hiding? It'd be good to get Lucky back to see them." He said as Star wrapped herself around his leg, hiding. " _Lucky_...!"

"I'll tell Star, but not you. You're a Lemon, and we don't like Lemons in our Clan." Adam frowned as Wade tried to untangle Star from his leg.

"Wade's my friend!" Star yelled, making Adam jump and Wade raise an eyebrow.

Adam pulled out a piece of paper from his bag. He wrote something down using a weird-looking pen and handed it to Star.

"X-Ray Eyes will see it." He told her. "I've gotta go – remember, don't be a Lemon, be a Rosebud!"

Adam ran off. He joined a loud crowd of revelers, who looked like their sole purpose in life was to party.

"Well then." Wade took the piece of paper from Star and put it in his wallet. "We'll sort that out later. Why don't you show me what you were looking at?"

Star tentatively pulled him over to where she had seen the school of fish, but they were gone.

"Oh well." Wade tried to cheer the poor girl up. "You really need to let go of this fear of people though."

"I know." Star said quietly.

Just then, a beautiful black dog bounded over. "Oh look at the puppy!" Star felt better.

Wade felt every ounce of courage leave him as the dog made to jump on him. He squealed loudly before jumping onto Star. "GET IT AWAY FROM ME!"

"Wade, it's a dog." Star tried to calm him down. "It's a good doggy, yes he is!"

"GET RID OF IT!" Wade howled, terrified. Star shook her head, baffled.

Just then, the dogs owners called it back, and it ran off happily. Wade slowly got down from Stars shoulders, shaking.

"You're scared of dogs!" Star cried, figuring it out.

"I AM NOT SCARED OF DOGS!" Wade roared angrily, scaring Star nearly to the point of tears. "I just don't like them."

Star just looked at him, disbelievingly.

–

Wade Barrett grimaced as he felt Star against his back. He'd won the fight, however the organizers were not forthcoming with his winners fee. This had led to Wade yelling at someone, which had led to the current situation where the entire room was ready to bash his head in.

What a waste of a trip, he wasn't even going to get paid.

Alas for our duo, the numbers game was too much. Star ended up with a broken collarbone, a black eye, a bruised pelvis and a twisted ankle, while Wade had his nose broken for the eleventh time in his life, a black eye, a busted lip, two broken ribs, a dislocated elbow, and a several welts from a cane across his back and legs.

"Well that didn't go well." Wade hobbled next to Star, who walked gingerly. "At least I got our stuff."

Star looked up at him, confused. "I thought this bag was ours?" She held up another bag.

In the bag was nearly all of the earnings from that nights fights. Wade grinned.

"Amazing. Simply amazing. You're definitely Lucky!" He teased as they emptied the money into Wades bag.

"I don't feel it right now." Star rubbed her sore collarbone, tears in her eyes. "It hurts."

"I know. We'll get it fixed as soon as we get back to London. You just need to grin and bear it for a bit." Wade brushed a tear away from her face. Something else bubbled under his skin, but he pushed it away. She was strong, she'd be okay. No sense getting upset because she was hurt.

 _She's just a tool, that's it. A very useful tool too I might add._

 _Sure Wade. Sure..._

They walked past the beaches, where Wade noticed something.

"Hey Lucky, look." He pointed into the sky to the south.

Star looked confused for a second, before realizing what Wade had seen.

"The Southern Cross!" She cried, running out onto the beach and into the water, all pain forgotten. Wade followed her. Up in the night sky were the five stars that appeared on the Australian flag, the stars that reminded the young Misneach of her birth-land.

Star felt tears running down her eyes. Wade put his arm around her, and she hugged him, looking up at the Southern Cross.

"We'll get you back to Radaxian Lucky. We know where your Clan is now." He told her.

She looked up at him, eyes full of love and trust.

"I know." She whispered. "Thank you Wade."

Wade was glad of the dark, because he felt himself turn pink. Star looked out at the stars again, and Wade let one tear fall down his cheek for her. _Soft._

The pair made it back to their hotel, where Wade did his best to set Stars collarbone in place. She was miserable and cried, but finally it was the way it should be. He set her arm in a sling, and bound up her ankle with ice.

"You'll be okay kid. I promise." He wiped her tears away. "You stop this crying now, y'hear?"

Star gulped and nodded. Wade sighed, nursing his ribs. He'd popped his elbow back in, but it was still troubling him, and had made setting Stars collarbone harder than it needed to be.

He lay down on his bed, while Star tried to get comfortable on hers.

"No more fights in Africa." He turned to her.

"No more fights in Africa." She agreed.

–

The pair waited the next morning for a taxi to take them to the airport, and then home. Both looked thoroughly miserable (as to be expected) and both were ready for bed, even though they'd only been awake for two hours.

Wade Barrett checked his watch. The damned ride should have been there already. Star was looking towards the south, the memory of the Southern Cross still fresh in her mind, and eating a chicken sandwich.

Then another dog appeared. This one was a shaggy grey thing, looking for a meal.

Wade, predictably, screamed and jumped onto the nearest dumpster to get away from it. The dog completely ignored him, while it looked for scraps around the dumpster.

"Get it away! GET IT AWAY!" Wade cried as Star looked dumbfounded. She shooed the dog away, giving it a piece of her sandwich.

"Why don't you like dogs?" She asked innocently as they boarded the plane later that day.

"You promise you won't tell anyone?" He said quietly.

"Who am I going to tell?" Star pointed out.

"Fair point." Wade agreed. "The reason I don't like dogs...well, when I was a small child, I was attacked by a cat..."

Star nearly fell over. You WHAT mate?!

* * *

 **Some things you just can't make up. I was watching WWE Ride Along on the WWE Network (which I love) and King Barrett was talking to Sheamus about his fear of dogs...I nearly fell off the bed when he said it was because he was attacked by a cat! I just hope he was joking, because if not, then seriously, his therapist must make a fortune...**

 **Thanks for all of the reviews and love, you guys rock!**


	17. Brussels

Star rolled out of the way as Wade Barrett stomped at her. She leapt to her feet and swept her foot underneath him. He had to jump to avoid it, which gave her the chance to kick him out of the air.

Wade landed heavily on his back and Star put her foot on his throat. "I won!" She grinned at him.

"Not bad kid." Wade grinned. He got up as Star went to sit in a corner of the ring. "A few brawls under your belt and you're fighting like a pro. I like it."

Star beamed. "I like fighting. I never used to before, but I like it now." She stretched as Wade rubbed his head.

"Well, I doubt that fighting for you was ever fun before you met me." Wade pointed out, sitting next to her.

"It wasn't. No matter what I did, I was going to get molested anyway." Star said bitterly. Wade reached out and took her hand.

"No one's ever going to touch you like that again, not without your permission anyway." Wade assured her.

"Why on earth would I want anyone to touch me like that again?" Star looked disgusted. Wade looked away, not quite ready to give Star a lesson in adult relationships just yet!

"You know, tomorrow is going to be four years since we met." Wade changed the subject. "You've grown so much since then."

"I thought I was going to die that night." Star admitted. "I felt so ill and weak."

"I thought you were going to die too. Somehow you pulled through, although I reckon you did it just to make my life miserable." Wade teased. Star didn't notice, she was looking into space.

"It's why I tried to escape." She said thoughtfully. "I didn't want to die there. I didn't want to give them the satisfaction of having broken me."

"No one can break you Lucky, and even if they wanted to try, they'd have to get through me first." Wade told her. "C'mon, there's a jar of honey with your name on it at home, then we gotta get packed up for Brussels tomorrow."

"Hopefully it doesn't end too badly. I'm still smarting from Cape Town." Star winced. Cape Town had been a year ago, but the memory still stung.

"We got away with the coin didn't we? I count that as a win." Wade got his things as they walked out of the gym into the chilly night.

"You would." Star rolled her eyes. Wade flicked her nose. "OW!"

Wade giggled, walking away pleased with himself. Suddenly something cold and wet hit his back.

"Oh, it's on!" He spun around, grabbing a handful of snow. The pair threw snowballs at each other all the way home.

Star liked snow.

–

"This guy is good." Wade Barrett narrowed his eyes at the dwarf who had just beaten another competitor.

He and Star had made it to Brussels, and at first Wade had been amused by the "Champion" he'd been booked to fight. However, the dwarf had proven to be a dangerous man, beating every man he went up against in one blow.

Star didn't say anything. She had scanned him with X-Ray Eyes, and she knew how to beat him.

"What do you say Lucky?" Wade asked, concerned. Around them, the rowdy crowd cheered for another defeated competitor.

"He's using a very weak version of Paralysis Slaps. He can only manage one good slap, so he makes it count." Star told him. "You could sacrifice an arm and then slug him with one punch."

"I have a better idea. You're going to fight him." Wade decided. Star turned white. "Oh stop it. You were just telling me yesterday how you liked to fight now."

"But..." Star started. One look from Wade silenced her.

"You fight. Or else." He warned her. Star gulped, and nodded. "Good."

"Anyone else? Or are you all cowards?" The dwarf laughed.

"Go on. Put your headband on." Wade shoved Star forward. Star shook violently, scared. She put her headband on, tying it a bit tighter than it needed to be.

"Oh surely not. A girl? A CHILD?" The dwarf laughed. "Go back to your Daddy, I want to fight men."

"I-I-I'm a n-ninja!" Star stammered. Wade groaned. Of COURSE she had to stammer.

"Funny sort of ninja. Look more like a coward to me." The dwarf snorted. "Very well, let's get this over with, _ninja_."

His hands withdrew below his cloak. Star activated X-Ray Eyes and clapped her hands together.

The dwarf weaved the hand signs together, barely able to hold the chakra necessary. Star weaved the signs too, muttering under her breath as she did. "Rat, Tiger, Monkey, Snake."

She rushed at the dwarf, who prepared to slap her.

CRACK!

The sound of the two Paralysis Slaps hitting each other was deafening, and Wade would never forget it. The dwarf looked terrified as Star hit him with her remaining four slaps, defeating him easily.

Silence reigned over the room. Wade quickly made his way to Star, sensing trouble.

The crowd circled the pair, all of them furious. Most of them had been defeated by the dwarf, and now he had been defeated by a girl, one small enough to be a child. They weren't going to let her go without blood.

"Pretty thing, aren't you?" One said.

"Bet you're as fun in bed as you are in the ring." Said another.

"Maybe she could teach us a thing or two."

"I wonder if she's tough enough to take us all on?"

Star was terrified. She hid behind Wade, praying that they'd let them go. Wade put a hand on her back, tensing up for battle.

"This is going to hurt." He whispered to her. She nodded. She couldn't speak.

She did her best to straighten up. She turned around so her back was against Wades. She was thankful that her wallet and her passport were hidden in a pocket in the inside of her shirt – Wades had insisted. They definitely weren't getting their bag back.

The first wave came. Star did her best to fend them off with Paralysis Slaps and the tricks Wade had taught her, but there was too many of them. She felt her collarbone give out again, and a few of her ribs. Her eye was starting to swell, and her lip was cut.

Wade wasn't fairing much better. Broken shoulder, broken cheekbone, bruises left right and centre. He had to get out of there, he had to get HER out of there! They were going to hurt her just like her old master had. He couldn't let that happen. He couldn't!

He heard a shriek behind him. One of the men had grabbed Stars breast. Rage flooded his body and his eyes turned silver.

 _Humiliate me. Beat me to a pulp. Destroy my spirit or break my heart. Take my soul if you must, but for the love of the air I breathe, I am telling you: Don't. Touch. HER!_

He couldn't feel his wounds, all he knew was that he had to protect his Lucky Star. He threw off the men who had dog piled him, and ran to her side. Two men were trying to get her shirt off her, he threw them aside and grabbed her. He had to get her out of there.

He barreled through ten more men, bashed another over the head, tripped another and finally made it to the door. He pulled Star along behind him into the freezing cold of the night.

Star was crying. She was terrified beyond words, and now the cold was irritating her new wounds. Wade picked her up and carried her away from that awful place.

They'd lost nearly everything that they'd brought with them. Clothes and books, gone. Wade didn't care, he didn't even think about that. He just had to get his Lucky Star to safety.

The wind began to pick up, and it was snowing hard. Star shivered, and Wade gripped her tighter.

"You're hurting me." She whimpered. He relented.

"I'm sorry, my Lucky." He whispered.

They passed a cafe that was still open. The place smelled of hot drinks and warm biscuits. Wade took Star inside. He reached into the pocket inside his shirt and groaned – he never brought any of his credit cards or the like with him when he fought, it was just common sense in case they got nicked, so he only had a little money and their plane tickets, along with his passport.

He sat her down at a booth. She was cold and in pain, hang the cost, he was getting her a treat. At least it would keep them out of the cold for a while.

He ordered Star a hot milk flavoured with honey, and a honey macadamia biscuit. He got a coffee for himself.

"We close in twenty minutes." The bored cashier told him as he took his purchases away. Drat. They were going to be turned out into the storm again. Thankfully he still had his big coat, but he didn't know how much that was going to protect them.

Star slowly drank her milk and nibbled at her biscuit, not saying a word. She looked exhausted and in pain. Wade rubbed her arm and threw his coat over her shoulders. She looked up at him, horrified, but he silenced her with a look. Grateful, she wrapped the coat around herself, tears falling down her cheeks.

Finally, they had to leave. Wade carried Star as far as he could towards the airport. The flight was the next morning, and it was a couple hours walk from where they were.

The storm got worse. Wade huddled against Star, who was shivering again. He couldn't feel the cold. He couldn't feel anything except the need for Star to be protected.

He saw a small alleyway that was mostly protected from the blizzard. He sat down with Star, holding her close to keep her warm.

What a horrible, miserable night that was. It was nothing to Wade, he'd suffered nights like this many times before, but he didn't want Star to suffer the same fate. He hated it when this happened and they had to sleep on the streets like beggars. He was the second son of the Barrett Clan! She was a Misneach! This was below them!

Star grew too tired to cry. She just shivered. She knew that if she fell asleep, she could die from the cold, but it was so hard to stay awake. Wade turned his back to the storm, trying to protect her.

"I won't let you freeze, you can sleep, my Lucky Star." He whispered to her. She looked up at him, his long hair framing his broken face, his beard matted with blood. She rested her head against his warm chest and slept. Wade kept an eye out, but no one was stupid enough to come out on a night like this. Mercifully, they were left alone.

The storm ended just before daybreak. The pair managed to get to the airport, and when they got home neither of them budged for the rest of the weekend.

Star didn't like snow anymore.

* * *

 **I remembered in one of the chapters of "We Are One", Star ranked the beat-down that she and Wade received on a scale of London to Brussels. So, I thought it was probably a good idea to show just how bad Brussels was.**

 **I'll soon be working on "We Are One" again too, there's probably only a few more chapters of "Slave" left, so stay tuned!**


	18. Radaxian

_Wade Barrett walked arm-in-arm with Star, Misneaches and Barretts stood to form a guard for them. At the altar was his brother. Star wore a beautiful white dress and Wade wore his best suit._

 _Star looked so happy as Wade handed her to his brother. "Protect her with your life." He said to the older Barrett, who smiled._

" _She'll have the best of everything, my Queen." He replied, looking down at Star, who grinned back._

 _A car alarm sounded outside, and someone was calling Wade. He ignored them. He had arranged this all so perfectly, so that his Lucky Star would have the best of everything in the world. She deserved to be a Queen, she deserved to rule the world, she deserved..._

"WADE! WADE! Sophia and your brother are here!" Star desperately tried to shake her guardian awake. "You're in BIG trouble!"

"Wha-?" Wade reached out from under the blanket he was hiding under to turn of his alarm. He groaned. "Why is my brother here?"

"He's REALLY mad at you." Star tried to pull Wade from the bed. Wade slowly emerged from the blankets, looking severely ruffled.

"Is HE mad at me or is Sophia just trying to rile him up?" Wade rubbed his eyes.

"I think Sophia's been in his ear." Star shrugged. "Your brother looks like you."

"Well duh, we're brothers." He flicked Stars nose. "Get off me and give me a minute, will you?"

Finally, Wade walked out into the lounge room where his older brother and Sophia were waiting.

"Hi Wade." His brother looked down at him. "Sophia says you refused to train her in favour of the Misneach."

"I trained her. She just didn't like the training." Wade replied snarkily, getting himself a drink. Star sat at the table, scared of the bigger Barrett.

"Figures." His brother raised an eyebrow at Sophia, who looked horrified.

"You believe HIM over ME?!" She cried. "You know what he's like!"

"Yes, yes I do." The older Barrett sighed. "So, grandfather tells me you found a leech in the Misneaches."

"More Lucky did." Wade said, sipping his coffee and praying his headache would disappear soon. "It seems the Lyncness family are buying Misneaches and taking their eyes."

The older Barrett bristled. "This is unacceptable. What on earth are they DOING in that Clan?!"

"Drinking to excess and getting high as kites last I heard." Wade rubbed his forehead.

"Star, am I right?" Wades brother addressed Star, who shrank back, scared.

"Y-yes s-sir..." She replied.

"I believe you were given the location of the Clan from another Misneach?"

"Y-yes s-sir..."

"Don't "sir" me. Wade, you need to take the girl back to her village." The heir of the Barretts told his brother.

"Always planned to." Wade replied.

"And she needs to stay there."

"YOU WHAT MATE?!" Star and Wade cried. Star wanted to burst into tears. Leave Wade? Leave her guardian? Her best friend?!

Wade felt a chill go through him. Star was going to be his meal ticket! Once she was fully trained she was going to make him rich! He couldn't give her up!

"Who's going to look after her?!" Wade demanded. "You can't leave her in Radaxian, she'll die there."

"I-I don't w-want to leave Wade." Star let the tears fall.

"Well, unless you can find someone else who isn't blind drunk to lead the Clan, then there's no choice. The Misneaches have let this go on long enough, it's time they got themselves cleaned up." The Barrett Heir told them. "It's not just grandfather saying this either Wade. This came straight from the Undertaker himself."

"Since when do we do what the Phenom Clan says?!" Wade snapped.

"Walter also agreed with him." His brother said evenly. "The Vipers do feel some responsibility for the situation, after all, they're the ones who chased the Misneaches out of Ireland in the first place."

"And the Grey Goats?"

"They're in the middle of another civil war at the moment."

"Of course they are."

"Wade, the girl has to go back. We don't want to do this, but we have no choice." The Barrett Heir insisted. Sophia looked at Wade, and then at his brother. Had the Barrett Heir seen what she had seen?

"We'll go to the village." Wade said finally. "But if it's not safe for Lucky, then she's not going to stay. Not without me."

The Barrett Heir sighed. "I just hope you can find someone who can lead the Clan then."

Star looked at her feet. She knew she had a responsibility to her Clan, but she had never met any of them, not even her parents. They had sold her to a man who they KNEW was going to kill her. Her heart hurt.

"We'll take our leave now. I expect you out of the country by the end of the week." Wades older brother warned him.

"Whatever." Wade snarled.

His brother shook his head, before leading Sophia out of there.

"I told you! He's Imprinted on her!" Sophia said as they got into the Barrett limo.

"Nonsense. He's just using her as a meal ticket." The Barrett Heir tried to brush her off.

"Then why did he call her Lucky when her name is Star?" Sophia demanded.

The Barrett Heir stiffened. She had a point, and Wade did seem awfully protective of the Misneach...

"If he has, then it's probably a good thing. It proves we still have our kekkei genkai like the other Clans, plus the girl won't die." He replied.

"Who cares about our bloodline trait, it's the stupidest in the Clans. If she manipulates him into thinking she's under threat, she's got an unbeatable weapon that could wipe out all of the Clans easily." Sophia pointed out.

"I doubt the girl is like that." The Barrett Heir chuckled.

"No, but Wade is, and he's the one who's raised her." Sophia sulked.

Meanwhile, Wade was trying to calm Star down.

"I won't leave you Lucky, you know that. I swear it." He hugged her, trying to stop her from crying. "You need to stop this right now."

"B-b-but what if-if we d-don't find someone to-to-to lead my Clan?" Star sobbed. "I-I-I don't WANT to stay in Radaxian!"

"Do you REALLY think I'd let you stay there alone?" Wade growled angrily. "I might not be allowed to live in the village, but they damned well can't stop me from living nearby!"

Star looked up at her hero, wiping her eyes. "I'm sorry Wade." She whispered.

"That's better." Wade exhaled. _You were about to start crying yourself, admit it._ The annoying voice in his head popped up again.

 _No I wasn't!_

 _You totally were! It would KILL you if you lost her!_

 _Go bug someone else._

Wade lifted Star up and lay her on the couch. "How about you have the day off today? We'll mope around the house and do absolutely nothing but watch telly all day."

"Okay." Star hiccoughed. Wade ruffled her hair and went to get himself another (very large) coffee and a jar of honey for Star.

"Things will work out kid. They always do in the end. Trust me." Wade sat back down next to Star, who perked up when she saw her favourite treat. "Besides, wouldn't it be cool to rule over a Clan?"

"Nah." Star shook her head, digging into the honey. "Too much responsibility."

Wade flushed with pride.

–

Star looked up at the night sky, the one she had known for fifteen years. They were in Australia. They were back where Star had been born.

"Can't we just go to ONE footy game?" She begged as Wade settled down in the bed next to her. They were staying in the Kangaroo Motel, and just five minutes walk down the road was the Brisbane Cricket Ground, otherwise known as the Gabba, home to Stars beloved Brisbane Lions.

"It's not even footy season over here yet!" Wade chided her. "Go to sleep kid, tomorrow we're going hunting for this elusive Radaxian village."

"Okay..." Star pouted. Soon, they both fell to sleep, Star a considerable deeper sleep than Wade, who, as usual, woke up feeling grouchy in the middle of the night.

"Of course I can't sleep." Wade groused. It was a dinky little room, with a pool in the middle of the compound. Wade was about to get up for a midnight swim, when he heard Star muttering in her sleep.

"Lucky? You all right?" He asked. She wasn't usually one for talking in her sleep.

"North." She murmured. "North."

North? Wade sat down on his bed. Was that where she thought Radaxian was? It wasn't on any maps, and the directions Adam Rose had given them were poor. Perhaps there was something else on that piece of paper?

"North...North..." Star continued to murmur. Wade furrowed his brow, deep in thought. They'd head north tomorrow then.

–

The next morning they took a train to Caboolture. Star was awfully quiet, and led Wade Barrett out of the horrible train station and onto a bus that would take them to Caloundra.

"Are you okay Lucky?" He asked for the millionth time that morning.

"Yeah. I'm fine." Star said softly.

"Would you like some honey?"

"No, thank you."

Wade fell off his seat.

They got off a few stops outside of Caloundra, in thick bushland. Wade was confused. Star pulled out the piece of paper that Adam Rose had given her.

"I think it's this way." She said, following a dirt track. Wade had no choice but to follow her.

The smell hit them first, beer, rum, excrement, cigarettes. About five kilometres down the road from the bus stop, they saw an ugly old hut that had seen better days.

"OI! This is pri- oh, Treelo! I thought you had a hangover?" An old man who looked positively hideous greeted them as they approached.

"I-I-I'm not T-Treelo..." Star stammered.

The old man looked confused. "You're not? Then who the bloody hell are you?"

"She was sold from your village as a child nineteen years ago." Wade growled. The man snarled at him.

"Hello second son." He spat. He then looked at Star.

"Then you ARE Treelo...or rather, you WOULD have been Treelo." He leered at her. "You need to see Moseby."

"And where's he?" Wade scowled. He didn't like the old man one bit.

Suddenly, something jolted in his head. The old mans eyes had gone grey. Wade blinked, and suddenly he knew where Moseby was.

"Knowledge Eyes." The old man said, as Wade looked confused. "Go on, get!"

"C'mon Lucky, let's go." Wade took Star by the hand and together they walked into the village of Radaxian.

The place was a mess. Old shipping containers and demountables made up most of the dwellings, and they looked like they all needed a good clean. The houses weren't much better, all of them in dire need of repair.

"Got a smoke mate?" Someone yelled. Wade kept his eyes down, he knew that making eye contact with a Misneach was dangerous, especially if you didn't know their powers.

"Here." Wade took Star into the biggest building in the village. It looked like a library of sorts, but it stank of alcohol.

"Who are you?" The "librarian" of sorts yelled at them. "Moseby don't wanna see no one."

"I'm the second son of the Barrett Clan." Wade glared at her. "And this is Star, who apparently should have been Treelo."

The librarians eyes widened. "OI! MOSEBY! GET IN HERE!" She yelled.

"What's your issue woman, I told you no...oh no..." A man who looked old enough to be Stars father came out. "You're supposed to be dead."

"Really?!" Wade hissed. "Sold her off to slaughter did you?!"

"Oh look, it's Wade Barrett." Moseby sneered drunkenly. "So your wretched grandfather couldn't come himself? Had to send YOUR filthy arse?"

"You watch your mouth..." Wade growled, but restrained himself. He knew he was on Misneach ground, and he had come to sort out the Misneach Clan, not start a war.

"Or else what, Barrett?" Moseby took a swig out of the bottle he had in his hand. "Had the Undertaker here last week, trying to slap some sense into me. But it's not April, is it? His powers are useless here."

"I-I..." Star tried.

"Lyncness won't be happy you're loose." Moseby looked at her. "Lost you in a poker game, now you're back here."

Star wanted to cry. This was her Clan. This was where she was from. She felt disappointed and angry.

"You'll want to see your parents." Moseby told her. "Wait here, I'll send for 'em."

He shooed them off towards a relatively nice-looking couch. Wade sat down and pulled Star onto his lap to hug her.

"I'm so sorry. I wish it hadn't been this way." He said softly.

"It's okay..." Star replied, tears falling down her cheeks. "I want to go home."

"I know." Wade rubbed her arm.

After about twenty minutes, two dirty-looking adults and a young lady showed up. Star got up in horror. The girl couldn't have been older than fifteen, and she looked just like Star!

"You survived!" The older lady looked at Star. "They told us that he'd kill you, but you're alive!"

"Hi Mum." Star could barely speak.

"You looking after her?" The man asked, looking at Wade. He had Stars blonde hair and the shape of her face. Otherwise, she was all of her mother.

"Yes." Wade replied, worried. Star was pale.

"I'm Shazza, and this is Warren." Stars mother spoke. "And that's your sister Treelo."

The two girls looked at each other.

"You should come home." Shazza gripped her oldest daughters hand.

Star couldn't say no.

–

The house was FILTHY. Garbage everywhere, old vomit and excrement all over the walls...Wade Barrett nearly vomited himself at the stench.

"Pull up a chair." Warren pointed to the chairs that surrounded the garbage pile that Wade assumed had once been a table. They all sat down, Star firmly in Wades lap, next to Treelo, who still hadn't said a word. On the other side of the table sat Shazza, Warren and Moseby.

"I know why you're here. You want that child to lead our Clan." Moseby got right to the point.

"Exactly. You can't keep going on like this." Wade started. "You're living in squalour and you have leeches everywhere."

"Oh, old Lyncness won't be back." Moseby brushed him off.

"He won't, but his children will be. And their children. And their childrens children." Wade snapped. "You know how leeches work."

"Why are you so concerned anyway Barrett, what can YOUR Clan ever gain from helping us?" Warren growled back. "Barretts don't do anything unless there's something in it for them."

"It's not just us! The Vipers and the Phenoms are sick of your rubbish too!" Wade yelled. "You bring all five Clans down by acting like this. Leeches see you lot and think it's easy to latch on to our Clans and we have to deal with it!"

"Oh boo hoo." Moseby rolled his eyes.

"I don't want to be a Misneach. You're all horrible." Star looked ready to cry again. "I thought being part of a Clan was something special, but I was wrong."

"Then piss of out of here! You're not wanted!" Said a voice so much like her own!

"Treelo!" Shazza gasped. Star looked at her sister.

"We're not bloody perfect, but neither are you!" Treelo snapped. "So high-and-mighty because you're screwing the second son of the Barrett Clan -,"

"Am not!" Star fired back.

"- and you think you're SO much better than us!" Treelo ignored her. "Little worm!"

"Little brat!" Star fired back.

Annnnnnnd it was on!

"I AM NOT LITTLE!" Both sister screamed as they went at each other, hammer and tongs.

"Well, they're definitely sisters." Wade stood up, scratching his head. "Lucky always goes a bit...angry when people call her the "L" word."

"So does Treelo." Warren shrugged as the two sisters tried to pull each other apart.

Furious, Star got to her feet and pulled on her headband. "RAT, TIGER, MONKEY, SNAKE!" She bellowed, weaving her hand signs. Treelo looked at her, shocked. All five Paralysis Slaps took out the younger Misneach sister, sending her to the ground.

"You-you're..." Treelo gasped, trying to move her arms. Shazza shrieked, her eyes going the colour of the night sky and blood pouring from them.

"Healing Eyes." Warren told Wade. Sure enough, Treelo got up fine.

"You're a ninja!" Treelo looked shocked.

"And?" Star frowned at her.

Treelo looked amazed at her older sister. Star was still small, but the years with Wade had made her strong. Instead of being skin and bone like her sister, or fat like her father, Star was all muscle.

Star ran X-Ray Eyes over her sister. The younger girl had clearly been drinking heavily, and had a bad hangover. Irked, Treelo returned the favour, and found no flaws in her older sister.

Treelo slumped to the ground. "So you're going to take over the Clan after all." She sighed. "Moseby promised me I could be the Head of the Clan next."

Star blinked. Then she grinned. This was perfect!

"I don't want to be the Head of the Clan." She told her sister. "I'm not suited for it. But if you really want to be the Head of the Clan, you need to stop drinking. Then you'll be able to be a ninja like me."

Wade looked at Star. She looked happy again.

"What's the point?" Treelo glared at her sister.

"You could be the one who saves our Clan." Star tried to impress upon her sister.

"I'm only your replacement, that's all I ever was." Treelo groused.

"No! I'm Star. I was always Star." Star sat next to her sister. "You've always been Treelo, and you've always been the one to be Head of the Clan."

Wade was amazed. This was a side of Star he'd never seen before. The big sister.

"Please Treelo? Would you try?" Star begged. "You truly love this Clan, I've never been a part of it."

"I do!" Treelo looked up. "Oh I DO love my Clan!"

"You could make things better." Star told her. "You could be the one who cures the Clan."

Treelo looked at her sister. She'd always been alone, always had to be strong on her own, always haunted by the fact that she was merely a replacement for the child who had been sold. Now Star was showing her a new path. A path that could be her own.

"Would you help me?" Treelo asked.

"I'll do my best." Star promised.

Wade breathed easier. Star would be coming home with him. They had found a Misneach who would lead the Clan.

"Then I'll do it." Treelo said. Wade looked at the younger sister. He had seen that look before. It was the look on Stars face the first time she had dumped snow on someone, the first time she had attacked him with Paralysis Slaps, the first time she had fought off muggers in Luxemburg.

The two sisters embraced, and from that day forth, Treelo was proud to call Star her sister, and Star was proud to call Treelo her sister.

–

Star and Wade Barrett stayed in Brisbane for a few months, helping the fourteen-year-old Treelo get clean from alcohol and finding her a good sensei to teach her ninjutsu. Finally though, it was time for them to go home.

"I'm glad you came back." Treelo hugged her sister.

"I'm glad I did too." Star admitted. "I can't ever be a true Misneach like you, but I can still carry on as a proud member of our Clan."

"We'll change the world." Treelo promised her.

"You know it!" Star grinned at her.

And that is how the first seeds of healing were planted in the Misneach Clan.

* * *

 **That was a long chapter! But now we've met Treelo Misneach! Can Treelo save her Clan?**

 **I used to stay at the Kangaroo Motel a lot before I moved to Brisbane - it's quite close to the Gabba, so whenever the Brisbane Lions had a home game I'd spend the weekend (I used to live 2 hours West, not fun to drive at midnight!). I got to know the old owners really well - they had a little dog that used to help them clean the rooms lol. I was going to include that but I think Wade has suffered enough.**

 **And yes, Caboolture Station sucks. Caloundra is nice though.**


	19. Eplilogue

Seven years.

It had been seven years since Wade Barrett had found a young girl named Hoshi Kowareta, cold, blind and alone and taken her in. It had been seven years since he had told her that he was giving her a new name, Lucky Star.

They had been through a lot over the past seven years. Over time, they had become like brother and sister, best friends. Star adored Wade, and Wade was fond of her.

They had fought together, all over Europe. The money was drying up however, and Wade knew they needed to step up their game.

"Why are we moving to America?" Star asked one night over dinner. The small apartment was slowly being packed up and shipped away overseas to a huge mansion that Wade had bought.

"We're going for the big time Lucky." Wade told her. "There's a competition called NXT that I've signed up for."

"NXT?" Star asked.

"We're going to be WWE Superstars." Wade grinned.

Star raised an eyebrow. She was still small, but at 22-23 years old, she finally looked like an adult. Mentally on the other hand...

"Why can't we just stay here?" She said quietly. The thought of being a WWE Superstar scared her, the thought of being in huge arenas with thousands of fans, of having to sign autographs and take photos and go to events...

"Because I want what's best for you, and with more money, I can take care of you better." Wade told her. _With TWO WWE contracts, I'll be rolling in cash!_ Was what he thought.

"I guess so." Star pushed her dinner around her plate.

"You're going to have to be brave for me Lucky, I know you can do that." Wade ruffled her hair. "But I do promise you, we're going to have a lot of fun."

Star looked at him.

She smiled.

"Okay!" She nodded.

And thus our two heroes were off to new adventures in the WWE.

* * *

 **And that, ladies and gentlemen, is "Slave"! I hope you enjoyed it, and I hope it gave you a bit more of an insight into some of the things that happen in "We Are One". Hopefully soon I'll be finished with the next few chapters for "We Are One".**

 **Thanks again for all of your views and reviews!**


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